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Summary Electric Potential, Potential Energy, and Capacitance Physics Notes

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Comprehensive notes covering electric potential, electric potential energy, voltage, capacitance, and energy storage in electric fields. Topics include electric potential difference, electric potential energy of charged particles, equipotential surfaces, the relationship between electric fields and potential, capacitance, capacitors in series and parallel, dielectric materials, and energy stored in capacitors. These notes include detailed explanations, formulas, diagrams, and step-by-step example problems to help students understand how electric forces and energy interact in electrostatic systems. Ideal for students preparing for quizzes, exams, and homework assignments in introductory physics.

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How electric fields workI how that connects to potential energy (v)





·


a charge a in an electric field E feels a Force

F =

gE
pos charge same direction as E
·
:




neg charge :
opposite direction .




W =
/F -
d5 = -
Au

·

work done by the electric field neg-
:
change in potential energy



Case I : Charge moves with the electric field/same direction

WTO

W= -
AU
AU < 8

the electric field is
doing the work , charge is
"falling naturally"
·




potential energy decreases

Uf Vi


charge moving against the electric field -
need an external Force
<O

U >O

·

electric field is fighting the motion

Up > Vi
·
W= F d .





·
same direction WO

Opposite direction -W < o
the electric field is whats doing this work



Electric Potential energy between two point charges
there is a source charge a in the center


you are
moving another
charge go from point ab

the electric field comes from
g
·

.




Electric Potential two
energy between charges
·
:




V 19 92 =

,


j

potential energy how much work YOU had to do to place the charge there .
-

, if charges are alike they repel


3
·


we are now talking about external
it does
·
if the field helps pos work -U
>
-
decreases work which equals potential energy)
the fielde
you fight
if
you dopos U increases not the field.
the electric
work -
> work done by


How to find the potential energy of an assembly of charges more than two sum
·

Force & displacement same direction

W >O
j ⑧

WAK

Ak = -
y



from potential
Moving energy (v)
+ to electric potential v

·

what if we just wanted to look at the electric field

V = U = V =
17
go
↳ How have here ?
much energy would I coulomb of charge

·


Finding electric potential from the electric field

Vincreases as you move inwards decreases as
you move outward/ in the direction of the E
·
E = f
T
V (work per
charge) -V =
Electric fields always V-lowV
go from high
·




AV = -


SE de :




-ESde
=
= -



Ey
AV = -


Ey
Gloses potential if pos
charge


total energy stays constant
,
but it can switch between :

Electric potential (
energy
·




·


Kinetic energy K

ki + Vi =
kf +
Uf
AK = -
AU

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