How is Work Calculated in an Electric Field?

jsmith613 · Apr 26, 2012

Homework Statement

Diagram of a time-of-flight mass spectrometer: a sample at 0 V inside an evacuated chamber, with a laser pulse, a plate with a hole at 0 V, parallel charged plates at +4 kV and 0 V, and a detector at 0 V along the dashed path of ions.

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

now I know this has something to do with energy done on electron and KE.

apparently work done on electron is:
W = eV

BUT surely this implies V is constant. as the charge moves, will not V change?
hence it should be
W = 0.5*eV?

jsmith613 · Apr 26, 2012

found it
my book says V is the p.d that charges MOVE THROUGH not are in :)

How is Work Calculated in an Electric Field?

Homework Statement

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

Discussion

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