Voltage at a spot where the force on a charge is zero

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SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies that a location with zero volts does not necessarily indicate a point where a charge will remain stationary. Instead, it is the electric field, defined as force per charge, that determines whether a charge will move. The analogy of gravitational potential energy is used to illustrate that a zero potential does not prevent movement, as demonstrated by a ball rolling down a hill. Therefore, zero volts does not imply a stable equilibrium for a charge.

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  • Understanding of electric fields and forces
  • Knowledge of electric potential and voltage concepts
  • Familiarity with gravitational potential energy principles
  • Basic physics of charge interactions
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  • Explore the concept of electric potential energy in-depth
  • Investigate the principles of equilibrium in electrostatics
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Students of physics, educators teaching electromagnetism, and anyone interested in understanding the dynamics of electric charges in electric fields.

oneplusone
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Suppose you have a system of charges on the xy plane. Am i correct in saying that the place where you have zero volts, is the place where you can put a charge and it WONT move?
 
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hi oneplusone! :smile:
oneplusone said:
Suppose you have a system of charges on the xy plane. Am i correct in saying that the place where you have zero volts, is the place where you can put a charge and it WONT move?

no

where the field is zero, it won't move (field is force per charge)

zero volts doesn't really imply anything

voltage is electric potential energy (per charge) …

like gravitational potential energy, you can choose anywhere to be zero …

and if you put something where the gravitational potential is zero, that won't stop it falling! :rolleyes:
 
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Using an example to put it another way:

Suppose you have a hill that rises above sea-level, and it is next to a valley that is below sea-level. Somewhere on that downhill slope that goes from above to below sea-level, we place a ball. The ball does not stay in place, but actually rolls down the hill.
 

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