# Is the potential energy get higher or lower when electrons moves closer to the field?

1. ### da_coolest

15
when an electron moves closer to the electric field source, does the potential energy get higher or lower?

if it is being accelerated from the infinity, then at the infinity it should have the lowest kinetic energy? then when it is closer to the source of the field, it should have the highest kinetic energy??

ok then what about a proton?

### Staff: Mentor

Re: Is the potential energy get higher or lower when electrons moves closer to the fi

Welcome to the PF. Your question is a bit incomplete, but maybe that is what is confusing you. You need to specify what the Electric field's direction is. Electric field is a vector field, having magnitude and direction. The force on a charged particle is

F = qE

Where q is the value of the charge in Coulombs, and E is the Electric field value in Volts/meter. The direction of the force is determined by both the charge polarity and the direction of the vector E field.

Last edited: Mar 26, 2009