Is Electric Potential Zero at the Origin?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of electric potential, particularly at the origin in relation to other points in an electric field. Participants are exploring the relationship between electric potential and electric potential energy, as well as the implications of uniform electric fields.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster questions whether the electric potential at the origin can be determined and expresses confusion about the relationship between electric potential and electric potential energy. Other participants discuss the nature of the electric field and its implications for electric potential values.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the problem, with some suggesting that the electric field is uniform based on the parallel lines of electric force. There is an acknowledgment of uncertainty regarding the values of electric potential at different points, and some guidance has been offered regarding calculations involving known values.

Contextual Notes

The original poster mentions the context of a multiple-choice question, indicating a pressure to arrive at the correct answer, which may influence the discussion dynamics.

hoseA
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http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/6329/potential4iu.png

i thought the electric potenial would be larger at Va than at V0.

Va>V0

Apparently I'm wrong. I thought since R=0 at the origin the electric potential would also be zero. Is that not the case?

Can the electric potential even be determined?

Or am i mixing it up with electric potential energy?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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In the picture you attached, I think that the electric field is uniform[/color]
 
phucnv87 said:
In the picture you attached, I think that the electric field is uniform[/color]

How do u arrive at this conclusion?
 
Because the lines of electric force are parallel[/color]
 
phucnv87 said:
Because the lines of electric force are parallel[/color]

=( apparently that's incorrect. It's either V0>VA or "cannot be determined"

I really need to get the answer right... since it's a multiple choice question -- -6.67 is my current score(negative)... if it's right i'll get -3.33 or -10 if it's wrong.
 
As the picture shows, we have V_0>V_A and because we don't know V_A, so we can calculate V_0. If we know V_A we can calculate V_0 by this method V_0=V_A+Ex where x is the position of point A in the x-axis.[/color]
 
Last edited:
phucnv87 said:
As the picture shows, we have V_0>V_A and because we don't know V_A, so we can calculate V_0. If we know V_A we can calculate V_0 by this method V_0=V_A+Ex where x is the position of point A in the x-axis.[/color]
Thanks. That helps. :approve:
 

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