How much work to move a charge?

  • Thread starter Thread starter uwmphysics
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Charge Work
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 12K views
uwmphysics
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
I was wondering if anyone could tell me the formula for work?

I have to answer this question:

How much work does a 12-V battery do in pushing 2mC of charge through a circuit containing 1 light bulb.
A. .006 J
B. .012 J
C. .024 J
D. The answer depends on the type of bulb in the circuit.

Well either there is a formula I don't know, or the choice d is right. I was thinking about d, that it depends on the bulb. Because if the bulb would some how provide resistance or stop the circuit that could prevent the charge from moving...So that's a possibility, and then if there's some formula I don't know, then I need that to solve for an answer.

thanks!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
well work is the potential energy difference - and in this case its qV
 
A definition of potential difference (or voltage) is work done per unit charge; [itex]V = \frac{W}{q}[/itex]. Re-arranging this gives [itex]W = qV[/itex], as fargoth said. This definition of potential difference is useful to remember.