Why does the potential of A decrease when plate B is nearby?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on how the presence of a negatively charged plate (B) affects the potential of a positively charged plate (A). When plate B is nearby, it attracts unit charges, which reduces the potential of plate A, initially at 9V, because the work needed to bring a charge from infinity to A decreases. The conversation explores whether the potential difference remains the same or decreases when considering the forces acting on charges between the plates. It is noted that while the electric field strength increases when plates are closer, the reduced distance diminishes the overall potential difference. Ultimately, the potential at plate A can still be positive, but only at a significant distance from plate B.
Tryhard314
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Summary:: if Plate A had a potential of 9V, This means as We approach a unit charge from +Infinity to A we have to do this precise amount of work
Now we remove plate A, And replace it with plate B that has a potential of -9V Again that means to go from +Infinity To B we actually gain energy, or in other words to go from B to +Infinity we have to do this amount of work.
Now What is the potential of A if plate B is nearby (at a distance D).

if Plate A had a potential of 9V, This means as We approach a unit charge from +Infinity to A we have to do this precise amount of work

Now we remove plate A, And replace it with plate B that has a potential of -9V Again that means to go from +Infinity To B we actually gain energy, or in other words to go from B to +Infinity we have to do this amount of work.
Now What is the potential of A if plate B is nearby (at a distance D).



(Minute 14)
Like in this video of professor Walter Lewin he explain pretty intuitively That since the potential of A is the work we have to do to bring a unit charge To A, and B is attracting this unit charge, The potential of A goes down.
Parrelel.png

In my opinion this is true but only on the left side of the image, Since the attraction of the negative plates opposes the repulsion of the positive plate,But inside the separation if you want to approach the positive plate you need to overcome the repulsion of the positive plate And the attraction of the Negative plate (if you came from the right then entered the separation),

1 ) doesn't this you have to put in more work in order to approach A?

2 ) inside the separation between the plates do we have the original 18v potential difference or a lower one because outside the separation forces counter each other but inside it they add so it's difficult to understand why the potential gets lower(don't use conservation of energy please).

3 )if you approach A from the right side of + infinity it should be equal to approaching it from the left side since efield are conservative but that doesn't help me understand why.
But it does awnser partially the last question since it tells that the energy you gain approaching the negative plate helps push the positive charge inside the separation and the total network should be the same as if you approached from the left (i understood why it should be the same not WHY IT IS the same)

I numbered the questions so you can follow easily , Thanks for your time! (I thought i understood athis topic when I first studied it but when revising I got really really confused if you clarify this for me I would be grateful)
 
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While the field between the plates that are close together is twice as strong as the field of a single plate, the distance between the plates is much smaller than the distance from one plate to infinity.
Energy is force times distance.
If you bring two isolated plates closer together, the electric field doesn't change much, but the distance between the plates gets smaller, and therefore the potential difference also becomes smaller.
 
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willem2 said:
While the field between the plates that are close together is twice as strong as the field of a single plate, the distance between the plates is much smaller than the distance from one plate to infinity.
Energy is force times distance.
If you bring two isolated plates closer together, the electric field doesn't change much, but the distance between the plates gets smaller, and therefore the potential difference also becomes smaller.

If i understood what you said
lol.png
if we were to remove the negative plate we would still experience a positive potential at it's last position due to the positive plate A, so we need to increase the distance so much that the potential Due to plate A is near zero, Thanks very clear awnser!
 
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