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

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In a system of charges on the xy plane, zero volts does not indicate a position where a charge will remain stationary. Instead, a charge will not move only where the electric field is zero, as the field represents the force per charge. Voltage reflects electric potential energy per charge, similar to how gravitational potential energy can be defined at any point. Therefore, a charge placed at a point of zero voltage can still move if there is a non-zero electric field present. This illustrates that zero volts does not equate to stability for a charge.
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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