Scalar Electric Potential / Electrostatic Potential (V) - Electrostatic Fields.
- If a charge is placed in the vicinity of another charge (or in the field of another charge), it experiences a force. - If a field being acted on by a force is moved from one point to another, then work is either said to be done on the system or by the system. - Say a point charge Q is moved from point A to point B in an electric field E , then the work done in moving the point charge is given as: W A→B = - ∫ A B (F . dl) = - Q ∫ A B (E . dl) where the – ve sign indicates that the work is done on the system by an external agent. - The work done per unit charge in moving a test charge from point A to point B is the electrostatic potential difference between the two points(V AB ). V AB = W A→B / Q = - ∫ A B (E . dl) = - ∫ Initial Final (E . dl) - If the potential difference is positive , there is a gain in potential energy in the movement, external agent performs the work against the field. - If the sign of the potential differ...