Electric Potential

Electric Potential Energy

Electric Potential Energy: Capacity for doing work.

Electric potential energy can be easily compared with gravitational potential energy. Just like how there is an gravitational potential energy. Just like how there is an Electric Field, we are familiar with gravitational potential energy. Just like how there is an Electric Field, we are familiar with Electric Field, we are familiar with gravitational fields, which makes us fall back to the ground when we jump. When you place a positive charge between the plates of the parallel-plate capacitor, it has potential energy. That potential energy will then be converted to kinetic energy as the positive charge accelerates towards the negative plate.

$\Delta U=-W_{a\to b}=-q_0{\int }_a^b\vec{E}\cdot d\vec{l}$

$\Delta U_{elec}=q\Delta V$

If it was a negative charge instead of a positive charge, the charge would be would towards the positive plate, in the direction opposite to the electric field. The charge gains kinetic energy as it moves away from the negative plate and loses potential energy.

$U_{elec}=\frac{K{q}_1{q}_2}{r}$