- #1
Lo.Lee.Ta.
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Greater electric potential but less electric potential energy??
The picture in my book looks like this:
1. The electric potential at pt. B in the parallel-plate capacitor shown here is less than the electric potential at pt. A by 4.50V. The separation between pts. A and B is .120cm, and the separation between the plates is 2.55cm.
Question:
Is the electric potential energy of an electron at pt. A greater than or less than its electric potential energy at pt. B?2. My book says electric potential energy (U) is comparable to gravitational potential energy.
So if you move a charged particle in the opposite direction of the electric field, it is like lifting a ball in the opposite direction of the gravitational field.
Since both the charged particle and ball are further away from the electric/gravitational field, the potential energy increases.
Increasing the distance between the ball and the ground releases more energy when it falls.
Similarly, increasing the distance between a charged particle and the electric field releases more energy when the particle falls.
This is what a garnered from reading the book... Let me know if I'm understanding wrong...
From the picture, it looks like an electron at point A would have a greater distance to fall than an electron at point B.
So why wouldn't the electric potential energy at A be greater than at B?The answer is that B's electric potential energy is GREATER that A's!...This makes no sense to me... =_=
Would someone please explain this to me?
Thank you so much! :)
The picture in my book looks like this:
1. The electric potential at pt. B in the parallel-plate capacitor shown here is less than the electric potential at pt. A by 4.50V. The separation between pts. A and B is .120cm, and the separation between the plates is 2.55cm.
Question:
Is the electric potential energy of an electron at pt. A greater than or less than its electric potential energy at pt. B?2. My book says electric potential energy (U) is comparable to gravitational potential energy.
So if you move a charged particle in the opposite direction of the electric field, it is like lifting a ball in the opposite direction of the gravitational field.
Since both the charged particle and ball are further away from the electric/gravitational field, the potential energy increases.
Increasing the distance between the ball and the ground releases more energy when it falls.
Similarly, increasing the distance between a charged particle and the electric field releases more energy when the particle falls.
This is what a garnered from reading the book... Let me know if I'm understanding wrong...
From the picture, it looks like an electron at point A would have a greater distance to fall than an electron at point B.
So why wouldn't the electric potential energy at A be greater than at B?The answer is that B's electric potential energy is GREATER that A's!...This makes no sense to me... =_=
Would someone please explain this to me?
Thank you so much! :)