How Do You Calculate the Uniform Electric Field Between Two Plates?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the uniform electric field between two plates, specifically in the context of an electron's energy, charge, and the distance between the plates, without a given voltage.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to find a formula for the electric field using the energy of an electron and the distance between the plates. Some participants discuss the relationship between volts, joules, and coulombs, questioning how to properly express the electric field in terms of these units.

Discussion Status

Participants have offered hints regarding the relationship between energy, charge, and electric field. There is an exploration of different formulations, with some uncertainty about the correct approach, but no explicit consensus has been reached.

Contextual Notes

The original poster notes the absence of voltage in the provided information, which may affect the calculations and assumptions being discussed.

grscott_2000
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Can someone tell me the correct formula to use to find the uniform electric field between two plates? I can do this using a point charge but I'm assuming that this is different.

I am given the energy of an electron (as it is an electron I also know the charge) and the distance between the plates but I am not given a voltage.

Is there a way I can calculate the electric field using just these values?
 
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grscott_2000 said:
Is there a way I can calculate the electric field using just these values?
Yes.


Here's a hint. A "volt" is a "joule per coulomb" and the electric field can be measured in units of "volts per meter"
 
Ok, might this be

Energy(j) x Charge(C) = Electric Field (Vm-1)
Separation(m)




Hmm, maybe thinking about it I might be wrong here...

If a volt is joule per coulomb, it should be written JC^-1 indicating that the C value should be on the bottom, so maybe it should be

Energy(J) / (Charge(C) * separation(M)) = Electric field
 
Last edited:
grscott_2000 said:
Ok, might this be

Energy(j) x Charge(C) = Electric Field (Vm-1)
Separation(m)




Hmm, maybe thinking about it I might be wrong here...

If a volt is joule per coulomb, it should be written JC^-1 indicating that the C value should be on the bottom, so maybe it should be

Energy(J) / (Charge(C) * separation(M)) = Electric field

yes you are correct
 

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