C H A P T E R 2 4

Electric Potential
24-1 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
Learning Objectives
After reading this module, you should be able to . . .
24.01 Identify that the electric force is conservative and thus between the change V in the potential, the particle’s
has an associated potential energy. charge q, the change U in the potential energy, and the
24.02 Identify that at every point in a charged object’s electric work W done by the electric force.
field, the object sets up an electric potential V, which is a 24.06 If a charged particle moves between two given points
scalar quantity that can be positive or negative depending in the electric field of a charged object, identify that the
on the sign of the object’s charge. amount of work done by the electric force is path
24.03 For a charged particle placed at a point in an object’s independent.
electric field, apply the relationship between the object’s 24.07 If a charged particle moves through a change V in
electric potential V at that point, the particle’s charge q, electric potential without an applied force acting on it, relate
and the potential energy U of the particle–object system. V and the change K in the particle’s kinetic energy.
24.04 Convert energies between units of joules and 24.08 If a charged particle moves through a change V in
electron-volts. electric potential while an applied force acts on it, relate
24.05 If a charged particle moves from an initial point to a V, the change K in the particle’s kinetic energy, and the
final point in an electric field, apply the relationships work Wapp done by the applied force.
Key Ideas
● The electric potential V at a point P in the electric field of a U  q V  q(Vf  Vi).
charged object is
● If a particle moves through a change V in electric
W U potential without an applied force acting on it, applying
V  ,
q0 q0 the conservation of mechanical energy gives the change in
kinetic energy as
where W is the work that would be done by the electric
force on a positive test charge q0 were it brought from an K  q V.
infinite distance to P, and U is the electric potential energy
that would then be stored in the test charge–object system. ● If, instead, an applied force acts on the particle, doing work
Wapp, the change in kinetic energy is
● If a particle with charge q is placed at a point where the
electric potential of a charged object is V, the electric K  q V  Wapp.
potential energy U of the particle–object system is
● In the special case when K  0, the work of an applied
U  qV. force involves only the motion of the particle through a
potential difference:
● If the particle moves through a potential difference V, the
change in the electric potential energy is Wapp  q V.

What Is Physics?
One goal of physics is to identify basic forces in our world, such as the electric
force we discussed in Chapter 21. A related goal is to determine whether a force
is conservative—that is, whether a potential energy can be associated with it. The
motivation for associating a potential energy with a force is that we can then

685
686 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

+ + apply the principle of the conservation of mechanical energy to closed systems

q1 q2 involving the force. This extremely powerful principle allows us to calculate the
Figure 24-1 Particle 1 is located at point P in
results of experiments for which force calculations alone would be very difficult.
the electric field of particle 2. Experimentally, physicists and engineers discovered that the electric force is
conservative and thus has an associated electric potential energy. In this chapter
we first define this type of potential energy and then put it to use.
For a quick taste, let’s return to the situation we considered in Chapter 22:
In Figure 24-1, particle 1 with positive charge q1 is located at point P near parti-
cle 2 with positive charge q2. In Chapter 22 we explained how particle 2 is able
:
to push on particle 1 without any contact. To account for the force F (which is a
:
vector quantity), we defined an electric field E (also a vector quantity) that is
set up at P by particle 2. That field exists regardless of whether particle 1 is at P.
If we choose to place particle 1 there, the push on it is due to charge q1 and that
:
pre-existing field E .
Here is a related problem. If we release particle 1 at P, it begins to move and
thus has kinetic energy. Energy cannot appear by magic, so from where does it
come? It comes from the electric potential energy U associated with the force be-
tween the two particles in the arrangement of Fig. 24-1. To account for the poten-
tial energy U (which is a scalar quantity), we define an electric potential V (also a
scalar quantity) that is set up at P by particle 2. The electric potential exists
regardless of whether particle 1 is at P. If we choose to place particle 1 there, the
potential energy of the two-particle system is then due to charge q1 and that pre-
existing electric potential V.
Our goals in this chapter are to (1) define electric potential, (2) discuss how
to calculate it for various arrangements of charged particles and objects, and
(3) discuss how electric potential V is related to electric potential energy U.

Electric Potential and Electric Potential Energy

We are going to define the electric potential (or potential for short) in terms of
electric potential energy, so our first job is to figure out how to measure that po-
tential energy. Back in Chapter 8, we measured gravitational potential energy U
+ +
+ + of an object by (1) assigning U  0 for a reference configuration (such as the ob-
Test charge q0 + + ject at table level) and (2) then calculating the work W the gravitational force
at point P + + does if the object is moved up or down from that level. We then defined the po-
+ + tential energy as being
+ + Charged
object U  W (potential energy). (24-1)
(a)
Let’s follow the same procedure with our new conservative force, the electric
The rod sets up an force. In Fig. 24-2a, we want to find the potential energy U associated with a posi-
electric potential, tive test charge q0 located at point P in the electric field of a charged rod. First, we
which determines need a reference configuration for which U  0. A reasonable choice is for the
the potential energy. test charge to be infinitely far from the rod, because then there is no interaction
with the rod. Next, we bring the test charge in from infinity to point P to form the
P configuration of Fig. 24-2a. Along the way, we calculate the work done by the
+
Electric potential + + electric force on the test charge. The potential energy of the final configuration is
V at point P + + then given by Eq. 24-1, where W is now the work done by the electric force. Let’s
+ +
+ + use the notation W to emphasize that the test charge is brought in from infinity.
++ The work and thus the potential energy can be positive or negative depending on
the sign of the rod’s charge.
(b)
Next, we define the electric potential V at P in terms of the work done by the
Figure 24-2 (a) A test charge has been electric force and the resulting potential energy:
brought in from infinity to point P in the
electric field of the rod. (b) We define an
W U
electric potential V at P based on the V  (electric potential). (24-2)
potential energy of the configuration in (a). q0 q0
 24-1 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL 687

That is, the electric potential is the amount of electric potential energy per unit
charge when a positive test charge is brought in from infinity. The rod sets up this
potential V at P regardless of whether the test charge (or anything else) happens
to be there (Fig. 24-2b). From Eq. 24-2 we see that V is a scalar quantity (because
there is no direction associated with potential energy or charge) and can be posi-
tive or negative (because potential energy and charge have signs).
Repeating this procedure we find that an electric potential is set up at every
point in the rod’s electric field. In fact, every charged object sets up electric
potential V at points throughout its electric field. If we happen to place a particle
with, say, charge q at a point where we know the pre-existing V, we can immedi-
ately find the potential energy of the configuration:

(electric potential energy)  (particle’s charge)  electricunit

potential energy
charge ,
or U  qV, (24-3)

where q can be positive or negative.

Two Cautions. (1) The (now very old) decision to call V a potential was un-
fortunate because the term is easily confused with potential energy. Yes, the two
quantities are related (that is the point here) but they are very different and not
interchangeable. (2) Electric potential is a scalar, not a vector. (When you come
to the homework problems, you will rejoice on this point.)
Language. A potential energy is a property of a system (or configuration) of
objects, but sometimes we can get away with assigning it to a single object. For ex-
ample, the gravitational potential energy of a baseball hit to outfield is actually a
potential energy of the baseball–Earth system (because it is associated with the
force between the baseball and Earth). However, because only the baseball no-
ticeably moves (its motion does not noticeably affect Earth), we might assign the
gravitational potential energy to it alone. In a similar way, if a charged particle is
placed in an electric field and has no noticeable effect on the field (or the charged
object that sets up the field), we usually assign the electric potential energy to the
particle alone.
Units. The SI unit for potential that follows from Eq. 24-2 is the joule per
coulomb. This combination occurs so often that a special unit, the volt (abbrevi-
ated V), is used to represent it. Thus,

1 volt  1 joule per coulomb.

With two unit conversions, we can now switch the unit for electric field from new-
tons per coulomb to a more conventional unit:

1 N/C  1 NC   11J/C
V
  1 Nm
1J

 1 V/m.

The conversion factor in the second set of parentheses comes from our definition
of volt given above; that in the third set of parentheses is derived from the defini-
tion of the joule. From now on, we shall express values of the electric field in volts
per meter rather than in newtons per coulomb.

Motion Through an Electric Field

Change in Electric Potential. If we move from an initial point i to a second point f
in the electric field of a charged object, the electric potential changes by

V  Vf  Vi.
688 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

If we move a particle with charge q from i to f, then, from Eq. 24-3, the potential
energy of the system changes by
U  q V  q(Vf  Vi). (24-4)
The change can be positive or negative, depending on the signs of q and V. It
can also be zero, if there is no change in potential from i to f (the points have the
same value of potential). Because the electric force is conservative, the change in
potential energy U between i and f is the same for all paths between those
points (it is path independent).
Work by the Field. We can relate the potential energy change U to the
work W done by the electric force as the particle moves from i to f by applying
the general relation for a conservative force (Eq. 8-1):
W  U (work, conservative force). (24-5)
Next, we can relate that work to the change in the potential by substituting from
Eq. 24-4:
W  U  q V  q(Vf  Vi). (24-6)
Up until now, we have always attributed work to a force but here can also say
that W is the work done on the particle by the electric field (because it, of course,
produces the force). The work can be positive, negative, or zero. Because U
between any two points is path independent, so is the work W done by the field.
(If you need to calculate work for a difficult path, switch to an easier path—you
get the same result.)
Conservation of Energy. If a charged particle moves through an electric
field with no force acting on it other than the electric force due to the field, then
the mechanical energy is conserved. Let’s assume that we can assign the electric
potential energy to the particle alone. Then we can write the conservation of me-
chanical energy of the particle that moves from point i to point f as
Ui  Ki  Uf  Kf , (24-7)
or K  U. (24-8)
Substituting Eq. 24-4, we find a very useful equation for the change in the particle’s
kinetic energy as a result of the particle moving through a potential difference:

K  q V  q(Vf  Vi). (24-9)

Work by an Applied Force. If some force in addition to the electric force
acts on the particle, we say that the additional force is an applied force or external
force, which is often attributed to an external agent. Such an applied force can do
work on the particle, but the force may not be conservative and thus, in general,
we cannot associate a potential energy with it. We account for that work Wapp by
modifying Eq. 24-7:
(initial energy)  (work by applied force)  (final energy)
or Ui  Ki  Wapp  Uf  Kf . (24-10)
Rearranging and substituting from Eq. 24-4, we can also write this as
K  U  Wapp  q V  Wapp. (24-11)
The work by the applied force can be positive, negative, or zero, and thus the en-
ergy of the system can increase, decrease, or remain the same.
In the special case where the particle is stationary before and after the move,
the kinetic energy terms in Eqs. 24-10 and 24-11 are zero and we have
Wapp  q V (for Ki  Kf). (24-12)
In this special case, the work Wapp involves the motion of the particle through
the potential difference V and not a change in the particle’s kinetic energy.
 24-1 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL 689

By comparing Eqs. 24-6 and 24-12, we see that in this special case, the work by the
applied force is the negative of the work by the field:

Wapp  W (for Ki  Kf). (24-13)

Electron-volts. In atomic and subatomic physics, energy measures in the SI

unit of joules often require awkward powers of ten. A more convenient (but non-
SI unit) is the electron-volt (eV), which is defined to be equal to the work required
to move a single elementary charge e (such as that of an electron or proton)
through a potential difference V of exactly one volt. From Eq. 24-6, we see that
the magnitude of this work is q V.Thus,
1 eV  e(1 V)
 (1.602 1019 C)(1 J/C)  1.602 1019 J. (24-14)

Checkpoint 1
In the figure, we move a proton from point i to point f in a uniform electric field. Is positive or negative E
work done by (a) the electric field and (b) our force? (c) Does the electric potential energy increase or
+
decrease? (d) Does the proton move to a point of higher or lower electric potential? f i

Sample Problem 24.01 Work and potential energy in an electric field

Electrons are continually being knocked out of air mole-

cules in the atmosphere by cosmic-ray particles coming in
from space. Once released, each electron experiences an E F d
: :
electric force F due to the electric field E that is produced
in the atmosphere by charged particles already on Earth. e –
Near Earth’s surface the electric field has the magnitude Figure 24-3 An electron in the atmosphere is moved upward through
: : :
E  150 N/C and is directed downward. What is the change displacement d by an electric force F due to an electric field E .
U in the electric potential energy of a released electron : :
when the electric force causes it to move vertically upward where u is the angle between the directions of E and d .
: :
through a distance d  520 m (Fig. 24-3)? Through what The field E is directed downward and the displacement d
potential change does the electron move? is directed upward; so u  180. We can now evaluate the
work as
KEY IDEAS W  (1.6 1019 C)(150 N/C)(520 m) cos 180
(1) The change U in the electric potential energy of the  1.2 1014 J.
electron is related to the work W done on the electron by the Equation 24-5 then yields
electric field. Equation 24-5 (W  U) gives the relation.
:
(2) The work done by a constant force F on a particle under- U  W  1.2 1014 J. (Answer)
:
going a displacement d is This result tells us that during the 520 m ascent, the electric
W  F  d.
: : potential energy of the electron decreases by 1.2 1014 J.
To find the change in electric potential, we apply Eq. 24-4:
(3) The electric force and the electric field are related by the
: :
force equation F  qE, where here q is the charge of an U 1.2 1014 J
V  
electron ( 1.6 1019 C). q 1.6 1019 C
Calculations: Substituting the force equation into the work  4.5 104 V  45 kV. (Answer)
equation and taking the dot product yield
: :
This tells us that the electric force does work to move the
W  qE  d  qEd cos u, electron to a higher potential.

Additional examples, video, and practice available at WileyPLUS

690 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

24-2 EQUIPOTENTIAL SURFACES AND THE ELECTRIC FIELD

Learning Objectives
After reading this module, you should be able to . . .
24.09 Identify an equipotential surface and describe how it is 24.11 For a uniform electric field, relate the field magnitude
related to the direction of the associated electric field. E and the separation x and potential difference V
24.10 Given an electric field as a function of position, calcu- between adjacent equipotential lines.
late the change in potential V from an initial point to a 24.12 Given a graph of electric field E versus position along
final point by choosing a path between the points and an axis, calculate the change in potential V from an initial
:
integrating the dot product of the field E and a length point to a final point by graphical integration.
element d : s along the path. 24.13 Explain the use of a zero-potential location.

Key Ideas
● The points on an equipotential surface all have the same we can choose a different path along which the integration
electric potential. The work done on a test charge in moving it might be easier.
from one such surface to another is independent of the loca- ● If we choose Vi  0, we have, for the potential at a particu-
tions of the initial and final points on these surfaces and of the lar point,
:


path that joins the points. The electric field E is always directed
f
perpendicularly to corresponding equipotential surfaces. :
V E  d:
s.
● The electric potential difference between two points i and f is i

Vf  Vi    i
f
:
E  d:
s,
● In a uniform field of magnitude E, the change in potential
from a higher equipotential surface to a lower one, separated
by distance x, is
where the integral is taken over any path connecting the
points. If the integration is difficult along any particular path, V  E x.

Equipotential Surfaces
Adjacent points that have the same electric potential form an equipotential
surface, which can be either an imaginary surface or a real, physical surface. No
net work W is done on a charged particle by an electric field when the particle
moves between two points i and f on the same equipotential surface. This follows
from Eq. 24-6, which tells us that W must be zero if Vf  Vi . Because of the path
independence of work (and thus of potential energy and potential), W  0 for
any path connecting points i and f on a given equipotential surface regardless of
whether that path lies entirely on that surface.
Figure 24-4 shows a family of equipotential surfaces associated with the elec-
tric field due to some distribution of charges. The work done by the electric field
on a charged particle as the particle moves from one end to the other of paths

Equal work is done along

these paths between the
same surfaces.
No work is done along
this path on an V1
equipotential surface.
I III IV
V2

V3
Figure 24-4 Portions of four equipotential
II
surfaces at electric potentials V1  100 V, V4
V2  80 V, V3  60 V, and V4  40 V. Four
paths along which a test charge may move
are shown. Two electric field lines are also No work is done along this path
indicated. that returns to the same surface.
 24-2 EQU I POTE NTIAL SU R FACES AN D TH E E LECTR IC FI E LD 691

I and II is zero because each of these paths begins and ends on the same Equipotential surface
equipotential surface and thus there is no net change in potential. The work Field line
done as the charged particle moves from one end to the other of paths III and
IV is not zero but has the same value for both these paths because the initial
and final potentials are identical for the two paths; that is, paths III and IV
connect the same pair of equipotential surfaces.
From symmetry, the equipotential surfaces produced by a charged particle or
a spherically symmetrical charge distribution are a family of concentric spheres.
For a uniform electric field, the surfaces are a family of planes perpendicular to
the field lines. In fact, equipotential surfaces are always perpendicular to electric
: :
field lines and thus to E , which is always tangent to these lines. If E were not per-
pendicular to an equipotential surface, it would have a component lying along
that surface. This component would then do work on a charged particle as it
(a)
moved along the surface. However, by Eq. 24-6 work cannot be done if the
:
surface is truly an equipotential surface; the only possible conclusion is that E
must be everywhere perpendicular to the surface. Figure 24-5 shows electric field
lines and cross sections of the equipotential surfaces for a uniform electric field
and for the field associated with a charged particle and with an electric dipole.

Calculating the Potential from the Field

+
We can calculate the potential difference between any two points i and f in an
:
electric field if we know the electric field vector E all along any path connecting
those points. To make the calculation, we find the work done on a positive test
charge by the field as the charge moves from i to f, and then use Eq. 24-6.
Consider an arbitrary electric field, represented by the field lines in Fig. 24-6,
and a positive test charge q0 that moves along the path shown from point i to
:
point f. At any point on the path, an electric force q0 E acts on the charge as it (b)
moves through a differential displacement d : s . From Chapter 7, we know that the
:
differential work dW done on a particle by a force F during a displacement d : s is
given by the dot product of the force and the displacement:
:
dW  F  d :
s. (24-15)
: : +
For the situation of Fig. 24-6, F  q0 E and Eq. 24-15 becomes
:
dW  q0E  d :
s. (24-16)
To find the total work W done on the particle by the field as the particle moves
from point i to point f, we sum — via integration — the differential works done on
the charge as it moves through all the displacements d :
s along the path:

W  q0 
i
f
:
E  d:
s. (24-17)
(c)
If we substitute the total work W from Eq. 24-17 into Eq. 24-6, we find
Figure 24-5 Electric field lines (purple) and

Vf  Vi   
i
f
:
E  d:
s. (24-18)
cross sections of equipotential surfaces
(gold) for (a) a uniform electric field,
(b) the field due to a charged particle,
and (c) the field due to an electric dipole.
Path Field line
i

Figure 24-6 A test charge q0 moves from point i

to point f along the path shown in a nonuni- q0
form electric field. During a displacement d s:, + ds
:
an electric force q0 E acts on the test charge.
This force points in the direction of the field f
line at the location of the test charge. q0E
692 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL
Path
i f
x

Figure 24-7 We move between Field line

points i and f, between adja- Higher
cent equipotential lines in a potential E Lower
:
uniform electric field E , x potential
parallel to a field line.

Thus, the potential difference Vf  Vi between any two points i and f in an electric
field is equal to the negative of the line integral (meaning the integral along a
:
particular path) of E  d :s from i to f. However, because the electric force is con-
servative, all paths (whether easy or difficult to use) yield the same result.
Equation 24-18 allows us to calculate the difference in potential between any
two points in the field. If we set potential Vi  0, then Eq. 24-18 becomes

V 
i
f
:
E  d:
s, (24-19)

in which we have dropped the subscript f on Vf . Equation 24-19 gives us the

potential V at any point f in the electric field relative to the zero potential at point i.
If we let point i be at infinity, then Eq. 24-19 gives us the potential V at any point f
relative to the zero potential at infinity.
Uniform Field. Let’s apply Eq. 24-18 for a uniform field as shown in
Fig. 24-7. We start at point i on an equipotential line with potential Vi and move to
point f on an equipotential line with a lower potential Vf. The separation between
the two equipotential lines is x. Let’s also move along a path that is parallel to the
:
electric field E (and thus perpendicular to the equipotential lines). The angle be-
:
tween E and d : s in Eq. 24-18 is zero, and the dot product gives us
:
E  d:
s  E ds cos 0  E ds.
Because E is constant for a uniform field, Eq. 24-18 becomes

Vf  Vi  E  i
f
ds. (24-20)

The integral is simply an instruction for us to add all the displacement elements
ds from i to f, but we already know that the sum is length x. Thus we can write
the change in potential Vf  Vi in this uniform field as

V  E x (uniform field). (24-21)

This is the change in voltage V between two equipotential lines in a uniform field
of magnitude E, separated by distance x. If we move in the direction of the field
by distance x, the potential decreases. In the opposite direction, it increases.

The electric field vector points from higher potential toward lower potential.

1
Checkpoint 2
The figure here shows a family of parallel equipotential surfaces (in cross section) and 2
five paths along which we shall move an electron from one surface to another. (a) 3
4
What is the direction of the electric field associated with the surfaces? (b) For each
path, is the work we do positive, negative, or zero? (c) Rank the paths according to the 5
work we do, greatest first.
90 V 80 V 70 V 60 V 50 V 40 V
 24-2 EQU I POTE NTIAL SU R FACES AN D TH E E LECTR IC FI E LD 693

Sample Problem 24.02 Finding the potential change from the electric field
:
(a) Figure 24-8a shows two points i and f in a uniform elec- ment d : s of the test charge is perpendicular to E . Thus, the
: : :
tric field E . The points lie on the same electric field line (not angle u between E and d : s is 90, and the dot product E  d :
s
shown) and are separated by a distance d. Find the potential is 0. Equation 24-18 then tells us that points i and c are at the
difference Vf  Vi by moving a positive test charge q0 from same potential: Vc  Vi  0. Ah, we should have seen this
i to f along the path shown, which is parallel to the field coming. The points are on the same equipotential surface,
direction. which is perpendicular to the electric field lines.
For line cf we have u  45 and, from Eq. 24-18,

 
KEY IDEA f f
:
Vf  Vi   E  d:
s  E(cos 45) ds
We can find the potential difference between any two points c c
:


in an electric field by integrating E  d :
s along a path con- f
necting those two points according to Eq. 24-18.  E(cos 45) ds.
c
Calculations: We have actually already done the calculation
for such a path in the direction of an electric field line in a The integral in this equation is just the length of line cf;
uniform field when we derived Eq. 24-21.With slight changes in from Fig. 24-8b, that length is d/cos 45. Thus,
notation, Eq. 24-21 gives us d
Vf  Vi  E(cos 45)  Ed. (Answer)
Vf  Vi  Ed. (Answer) cos 45
This is the same result we obtained in (a), as it must be;
(b) Now find the potential difference Vf  Vi by moving the
the potential difference between two points does not de-
positive test charge q0 from i to f along the path icf shown in
pend on the path connecting them. Moral: When you
Fig. 24-8b.
want to find the potential difference between two points
Calculations: The Key Idea of (a) applies here too, except by moving a test charge between them, you can save time
now we move the test charge along a path that consists of and work by choosing a path that simplifies the use of
two lines: ic and cf. At all points along line ic, the displace- Eq. 24-18.

The electric field points from The field is perpendicular to this ic path,
higher potential to lower potential. so there is no change in the potential.

i Higher potential i q0 ds c
+
45°
E
q0
ds +
d q0 d
45° E
+ The field has a component
ds
E along this cf path, so there
is a change in the potential.

f f
Lower potential

(a) (b)

Figure 24-8 (a) A test charge q0 moves in a straight line from point i to point f, along the
direction of a uniform external electric field. (b) Charge q0 moves along path icf in the same
electric field.

Additional examples, video, and practice available at WileyPLUS

694 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

24-3 POTENTIAL DUE TO A CHARGED PARTICLE

Learning Objectives
After reading this module, you should be able to . . .
24.14 For a given point in the electric field of a charged parti- symmetric charge distribution, calculate the electric
cle, apply the relationship between the electric potential V, potential as if all the charge is concentrated as a particle
the charge of the particle q, and the distance r from the at the center of the sphere.
particle. 24.17 Calculate the net potential at any given point due to
24.15 Identify the correlation between the algebraic signs of the several charged particles, identifying that algebraic addi-
potential set up by a particle and the charge of the particle. tion is used, not vector addition.
24.16 For points outside or on the surface of a spherically 24.18 Draw equipotential lines for a charged particle.

Key Ideas
● The electric potential due to a single charged particle at a ● The potential due to a collection of charged particles is
distance r from that charged particle is n
1 n
qi
1 q
V  Vi 
4p´0  ri
.
V , i1 i1
4p´0 r Thus, the potential is the algebraic sum of the individual po-
where V has the same sign as q. tentials, with no consideration of directions.

Potential Due to a Charged Particle

We now use Eq. 24-18 to derive, for the space around a charged particle, an
expression for the electric potential V relative to the zero potential at infinity.
Consider a point P at distance R from a fixed particle of positive charge q (Fig. 24-9).
To find the potential of To use Eq. 24-18, we imagine that we move a positive test charge q0 from point P to
the charged particle, infinity. Because the path we take does not matter, let us choose the simplest one —
we move this test charge a line that extends radially from the fixed particle through P to infinity.
out to infinity. To use Eq. 24-18, we must evaluate the dot product
E ds :
q0 E  d:
s  E cos  ds. (24-22)
+
:
The electric field E in Fig. 24-9 is directed radially outward from the fixed
particle.Thus, the differential displacement d : s of the test particle along its path has
:
the same direction as E . That means that in Eq. 24-22, angle u  0 and cos u  1.
P Because the path is radial, let us write ds as dr.Then, substituting the limits R and ,
r we can write Eq. 24-18 as

R Vf  Vi   

R
E dr. (24-23)

Next, we set Vf  0 (at ) and Vi  V (at R). Then, for the magnitude of the
+ electric field at the site of the test charge, we substitute from Eq. 22-3:
1 q
q E . (24-24)
4p´0 r 2
With these changes, Eq. 24-23 then gives us
Figure 24-9 The particle with positive charge
:
q produces an electric field E and an elec-
tric potential V at point P. We find the
0V
q
4p´0
 

R
1
r2
dr 
q
4p´0
1
r


R
potential by moving a test charge q0 from
P to infinity. The test charge is shown at 1 q
 . (24-25)
distance r from the particle, during differ- 4p´0 R
ential displacement d : s.
 24-3 POTE NTIAL DU E TO A CHARG E D PARTICLE 695

Solving for V and switching R to r, we then have V(r)

1 q
V (24-26)
4p´0 r

as the electric potential V due to a particle of charge q at any radial distance

r from the particle.
Although we have derived Eq. 24-26 for a positively charged particle, the
derivation holds also for a negatively charged particle, in which case, q is a nega-
tive quantity. Note that the sign of V is the same as the sign of q:
y
A positively charged particle produces a positive electric potential. A negatively
x
charged particle produces a negative electric potential.
Figure 24-10 A computer-generated plot of
the electric potential V(r) due to a positive-
Figure 24-10 shows a computer-generated plot of Eq. 24-26 for a positively ly charged particle located at the origin of
charged particle; the magnitude of V is plotted vertically. Note that the magni- an xy plane. The potentials at points in the
tude increases as r : 0. In fact, according to Eq. 24-26, V is infinite at r  0, xy plane are plotted vertically. (Curved
although Fig. 24-10 shows a finite, smoothed-off value there. lines have been added to help you visual-
Equation 24-26 also gives the electric potential either outside or on the exter- ize the plot.) The infinite value of V pre-
nal surface of a spherically symmetric charge distribution. We can prove this by dicted by Eq. 24-26 for r  0 is not plotted.
using one of the shell theorems of Modules 21-1 and 23-6 to replace the actual
spherical charge distribution with an equal charge concentrated at its center.
Then the derivation leading to Eq. 24-26 follows, provided we do not consider
a point within the actual distribution.

Potential Due to a Group of Charged Particles

We can find the net electric potential at a point due to a group of charged parti-
cles with the help of the superposition principle. Using Eq. 24-26 with the plus or
minus sign of the charge included, we calculate separately the potential resulting
from each charge at the given point. Then we sum the potentials. Thus, for n
charges, the net potential is

n n
1 qi
V  Vi
i1

4p´0 
i1 ri
(n charged particles). (24-27)

Here qi is the value of the ith charge and ri is the radial distance of the given point
from the ith charge. The sum in Eq. 24-27 is an algebraic sum, not a vector sum
like the sum that would be used to calculate the electric field resulting from
a group of charged particles. Herein lies an important computational advantage
of potential over electric field: It is a lot easier to sum several scalar quantities
than to sum several vector quantities whose directions and components must
be considered.

Checkpoint 3
The figure here shows three arrangements of two protons. Rank the arrangements ac-
cording to the net electric potential produced at point P by the protons, greatest first.
P
D D
d d d D
P P
(a) (b) (c)
696 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

Sample Problem 24.03 Net potential of several charged particles

What is the electric potential at point P, located at the cen- (Because electric potential is a scalar, the orientations of the
ter of the square of charged particles shown in Fig. 24-11a? particles do not matter.)
The distance d is 1.3 m, and the charges are
Calculations: From Eq. 24-27, we have
q1  12 nC, q3  31 nC,
 qr 
4
1 q2 q3 q4
q2  24 nC, q4  17 nC. V  Vi 
i1 4p´0
1

r

r

r
.

KEY IDEA The distance r is d/1 2, which is 0.919 m, and the sum of the
charges is
The electric potential V at point P is the algebraic sum of
q1  q2  q3  q4  (12  24  31  17) 109 C
the electric potentials contributed by the four particles.
 36 109 C.
q1 q2 q1 q2 (8.99 109 Nm2/C2)(36 109 C)
d Thus, V
0.919 m
 350 V. (Answer)
d P d P
V = 350 V Close to any of the three positively charged particles in
Fig. 24-11a, the potential has very large positive values.
d Close to the single negative charge, the potential has very
q3 q4 q3 q4
large negative values. Therefore, there must be points within
(a) (b) the square that have the same intermediate potential as that
Figure 24-11 (a) Four charged particles. (b) The closed curve is a at point P. The curve in Fig. 24-11b shows the intersection of
(roughly drawn) cross section of the equipotential surface that the plane of the figure with the equipotential surface that
contains point P. contains point P.

Sample Problem 24.04 Potential is not a vector, orientation is irrelevant

(a) In Fig. 24-12a, 12 electrons (of charge e) are equally electric potential is a scalar, the orientations of the electrons
spaced and fixed around a circle of radius R. Relative to do not matter. (2) The electric field at C is a vector quantity
V  0 at infinity, what are the electric potential and electric and thus the orientation of the electrons is important.
field at the center C of the circle due to these electrons?
Calculations: Because the electrons all have the same nega-
tive charge e and are all the same distance R from C, Eq.
KEY IDEAS
24-27 gives us
1 e
(1) The electric potential V at C is the algebraic sum of the V  12 . (Answer) (24-28)
4p´0 R
electric potentials contributed by all the electrons. Because
Because of the symmetry of the arrangement in Fig. 24-12a,
Potential is a scalar and the electric field vector at C due to any given electron is
orientation is irrelevant. canceled by the field vector due to the electron that is dia-
metrically opposite it. Thus, at C,
:
E  0. (Answer)
R
R (b) The electrons are moved along the circle until they are
C nonuniformly spaced over a 120 arc (Fig. 24-12b). At C, find
C
120° the electric potential and describe the electric field.
Reasoning: The potential is still given by Eq. 24-28, because
the distance between C and each electron is unchanged and
(a) (b) orientation is irrelevant. The electric field is no longer zero,
Figure 24-12 (a) Twelve electrons uniformly spaced around a circle. however, because the arrangement is no longer symmetric.
(b) The electrons nonuniformly spaced along an arc of the original circle. A net field is now directed toward the charge distribution.

Additional examples, video, and practice available at WileyPLUS

 24-4 POTE NTIAL DU E TO AN E LECTR IC DI POLE 697

24-4 POTENTIAL DUE TO AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE

Learning Objectives
After reading this module, you should be able to . . .
24.19 Calculate the potential V at any given point due to an 24.20 For an electric dipole, identify the locations of positive
electric dipole, in terms of the magnitude p of the dipole potential, negative potential, and zero potential.
moment or the product of the charge separation d and the 24.21 Compare the decrease in potential with increasing dis-
magnitude q of either charge. tance for a single charged particle and an electric dipole.

Key Idea
● At a distance r from an electric dipole with dipole moment magnitude p  qd, the electric potential of the dipole is
1 p cos u
V
4p´0 r2
for r  d; the angle u lies between the dipole moment vector and a line extending from the dipole midpoint to the point of
measurement.

z
P
Potential Due to an Electric Dipole
Now let us apply Eq. 24-27 to an electric dipole to find the potential at an
arbitrary point P in Fig. 24-13a. At P, the positively charged particle (at distance
r()) sets up potential V() and the negatively charged particle (at distance r()) r(+)
sets up potential V(). Then the net potential at P is given by Eq. 24-27 as
r(–)
 rq q

2
1 r
V  Vi  V()  V()  4p´0

r()
+q
i1 () +
θ
q r()  r()
 . (24-29) d O
4p´0 r()r()
r(–) – r(+)
Naturally occurring dipoles — such as those possessed by many mole-
cules — are quite small; so we are usually interested only in points that are rel- –q
(a)
atively far from the dipole, such that r  d, where d is the distance between
the charges and r is the distance from the dipole’s midpoint to P. In that case, z
we can approximate the two lines to P as being parallel and their length dif-
ference as being the leg of a right triangle with hypotenuse d (Fig. 24-13b).
Also, that difference is so small that the product of the lengths is approxi- r(+)
mately r 2. Thus,
r()  r()  d cos u and r()r()  r 2. +q
r(–)
+
If we substitute these quantities into Eq. 24-29, we can approximate V to be
q d cos  d
V ,
4p´0 r2 θ
r(–) – r(+)
where u is measured from the dipole axis as shown in Fig. 24-13a. We can now –q
write V as (b)

Figure 24-13 (a) Point P is a distance r from

1 p cos u
V (electric dipole), (24-30) the midpoint O of a dipole. The line OP
4p´0 r2 makes an angle u with the dipole axis.
(b) If P is far from the dipole, the lines of
in which p ( qd) is the magnitude of the electric dipole moment p: defined in lengths r() and r() are approximately
Module 22-3. The vector p: is directed along the dipole axis, from the negative to parallel to the line of length r, and the
the positive charge. (Thus, u is measured from the direction of p:.) We use this dashed black line is approximately per-
vector to report the orientation of an electric dipole. pendicular to the line of length r().
 698 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

The electric field shifts the positive Checkpoint 4

and negative charges, creating a dipole.
Suppose that three points are set at equal (large) distances r from the center of the
dipole in Fig. 24-13: Point a is on the dipole axis above the positive charge, point b is on
E the axis below the negative charge, and point c is on a perpendicular bisector through
the line connecting the two charges. Rank the points according to the electric potential
+ p
+ of the dipole there, greatest (most positive) first.

(a) (b) Induced Dipole Moment

Figure 24-14 (a) An atom, showing the posi- Many molecules, such as water, have permanent electric dipole moments. In other
tively charged nucleus (green) and the molecules (called nonpolar molecules) and in every isolated atom, the centers of
negatively charged electrons (gold the positive and negative charges coincide (Fig. 24-14a) and thus no dipole
shading). The centers of positive and nega-
moment is set up. However, if we place an atom or a nonpolar molecule in an
tive charge coincide. (b) If the atom is
:
placed in an external electric field E , the
external electric field, the field distorts the electron orbits and separates the centers
electron orbits are distorted so that the of positive and negative charge (Fig. 24-14b). Because the electrons are negatively
centers of positive and negative charge no charged, they tend to be shifted in a direction opposite the field. This shift sets up a
longer coincide. An induced dipole dipole moment p: that points in the direction of the field. This dipole moment is
moment p: appears. The distortion is great- said to be induced by the field, and the atom or molecule is then said to be polar-
ly exaggerated here. ized by the field (that is, it has a positive side and a negative side). When the field is
removed, the induced dipole moment and the polarization disappear.

24-5 POTENTIAL DUE TO A CONTINUOUS CHARGE DISTRIBUTION

Learning Objective
After reading this module, you should be able to . . .
24.22 For charge that is distributed uniformly along a line or over a surface, find the net potential at a given point by splitting the
distribution up into charge elements and summing (by integration) the potential due to each one.

Key Ideas
● For a continuous distribution of charge (over an extended ● In order to carry out the integration, dq is replaced with the
object), the potential is found by (1) dividing the distribution product of either a linear charge density l and a length ele-
into charge elements dq that can be treated as particles and ment (such as dx), or a surface charge density s and area ele-
then (2) summing the potential due to each element by inte- ment (such as dx dy).
grating over the full distribution:


● In some cases where the charge is symmetrically distrib-
1 dq uted, a two-dimensional integration can be reduced to a one-
V .
4p
0 r dimensional integration.

Potential Due to a Continuous Charge Distribution

When a charge distribution q is continuous (as on a uniformly charged thin rod
or disk), we cannot use the summation of Eq. 24-27 to find the potential V at a point
P. Instead, we must choose a differential element of charge dq, determine the
potential dV at P due to dq, and then integrate over the entire charge distribution.
Let us again take the zero of potential to be at infinity. If we treat the element of
charge dq as a particle, then we can use Eq. 24-26 to express the potential dV at point
P due to dq:
1 dq
dV  (positive or negative dq). (24-31)
4p´0 r
Here r is the distance between P and dq. To find the total potential V at P, we
 24-5 POTE NTIAL DU E TO A CONTI N UOUS CHARG E DISTR I B UTION 699

integrate to sum the potentials due to all the charge elements:

V  dV 
1
4p´0
 dq
r
. (24-32)

The integral must be taken over the entire charge distribution. Note that because
the electric potential is a scalar, there are no vector components to consider in
Eq. 24-32.
We now examine two continuous charge distributions, a line and a disk.

Line of Charge
In Fig. 24-15a, a thin nonconducting rod of length L has a positive charge of
uniform linear density l. Let us determine the electric potential V due to the rod
at point P, a perpendicular distance d from the left end of the rod.
We consider a differential element dx of the rod as shown in Fig. 24-15b. This
(or any other) element of the rod has a differential charge of
dq  l dx. (24-33)
This element produces an electric potential dV at point P, which is a distance
r  (x2  d 2)1/2 from the element (Fig. 24-15c). Treating the element as a point
charge, we can use Eq. 24-31 to write the potential dV as
1 dq 1 l dx
dV   . (24-34)
4p´0 r 4p´0 (x 2  d 2)1/2

A
This charged rod
P P P Here is how to find
is obviously not a
particle. But we can treat this distance r from the
d d element as a particle. d r element.

x x x
dx dx
L
x

(a) (b) (c)

P P
Our job is to add the
potentials due to all r
d=r d
the elements.

x x
x=0 x=L
Here is the leftmost Here is the rightmost
element. element.
(d ) (e)

Figure 24-15 (a) A thin, uniformly charged rod produces an electric potential V at point P. (b) An
element can be treated as a particle. (c) The potential at P due to the element depends on the
distance r. We need to sum the potentials due to all the elements, from the left side (d) to the
right side (e).
700 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

Since the charge on the rod is positive and we have taken V  0 at infinity, we
know from Module 24-3 that dV in Eq. 24-34 must be positive.
We now find the total potential V produced by the rod at point P by integrat-
ing Eq. 24-34 along the length of the rod, from x  0 to x  L (Figs. 24-15d and e),
using integral 17 in Appendix E. We find

V  dV   L

0
1 l
4p´0 (x  d 2)1/2
2
dx


l
4p´0

0
L
dx
(x  d 2)1/2
2

l
lnx  (x 

L
 2
 d 2)1/2
4p´0 0


l
4p´0 lnL  (L  d )   ln d
.
2 2 1/2

We can simplify this result by using the general relation ln A  ln B  ln(A/B).

We then find
V
l
4p´0
ln
d
L  (L2  d 2)1/2
.

(24-35)

Because V is the sum of positive values of dV, it too is positive, consistent with
the logarithm being positive for an argument greater than 1.

Charged Disk
In Module 22-5, we calculated the magnitude of the electric field at points on the
central axis of a plastic disk of radius R that has a uniform charge density s on
one surface. Here we derive an expression for V(z), the electric potential at any
point on the central axis. Because we have a circular distribution of charge on the
disk, we could start with a differential element that occupies angle du and radial
distance dr. We would then need to set up a two-dimensional integration.
However, let’s do something easier.
P In Fig. 24-16, consider a differential element consisting of a flat ring of radius
R and radial width dR. Its charge has magnitude

dq  s(2pR)(dR),

in which (2pR)(dR) is the upper surface area of the ring. All parts of this
r z Every charge element charged element are the same distance r from point P on the disk’s axis. With the
in the ring contributes aid of Fig. 24-16, we can use Eq. 24-31 to write the contribution of this ring to
to the potential at P. the electric potential at P as

1 dq 1 s(2pR)(dR)
dV   . (24-36)
R' 4p´0 r 4p´0 2z2  R2
dR'
R
We find the net potential at P by adding (via integration) the contributions of all
the rings from R  0 to R  R:

Figure 24-16 A plastic disk of radius R,

V  dV 
s
2´0
R

0
R dR
2z  R 2 2

s
2´0
(2z2  R2  z). (24-37)
charged on its top surface to a uniform
surface charge density s. We wish to Note that the variable in the second integral of Eq. 24-37 is R and not z, which
find the potential V at point P on the remains constant while the integration over the surface of the disk is carried out.
central axis of the disk. (Note also that, in evaluating the integral, we have assumed that z  0.)
 24-6 CALCU L ATI NG TH E FI E LD FROM TH E POTE NTIAL 701

24-6 CALCULATING THE FIELD FROM THE POTENTIAL

Learning Objectives
After reading this module, you should be able to . . .
24.23 Given an electric potential as a function of position and the separation x and potential difference V
along an axis, find the electric field along that axis. between adjacent equipotential lines.
24.24 Given a graph of electric potential versus position 24.26 Relate the direction of the electric field and
along an axis, determine the electric field along the axis. the directions in which the potential decreases and
24.25 For a uniform electric field, relate the field magnitude E increases.

Key Ideas
: :
● The component of E in any direction is the negative of the rate at When E is uniform, all this reduces to
which the potential changes with distance in that direction:
V V
Es   . E ,
s s
:
● The x, y, and z components of E may be found from where s is perpendicular to the equipotential surfaces.
V V V ● The electric field is zero parallel to an equipotential
Ex   ; Ey   ; Ez   . surface.
x y z

Calculating the Field from the Potential

In Module 24-2, you saw how to find the potential at a point f if you know
the electric field along a path from a reference point to point f. In this module,
we propose to go the other way — that is, to find the electric field when we know
E
the potential. As Fig. 24-5 shows, solving this problem graphically is easy: If we P
θ s
know the potential V at all points near an assembly of charges, we can draw in q0
+
ds
a family of equipotential surfaces. The electric field lines, sketched perpendicular
:
to those surfaces, reveal the variation of E . What we are seeking here is the math-
ematical equivalent of this graphical procedure.
Two
Figure 24-17 shows cross sections of a family of closely spaced equipo- equipotential
tential surfaces, the potential difference between each pair of adjacent surfaces surfaces
:
being dV. As the figure suggests, the field E at any point P is perpendicular to the
equipotential surface through P. Figure 24-17 A test charge q0 moves a
Suppose that a positive test charge q0 moves through a displacement d : s distance d : s from one equipotential sur-
from one equipotential surface to the adjacent surface. From Eq. 24-6, we see that face to another. (The separation between
the surfaces has been exaggerated for clar-
the work the electric field does on the test charge during the move is q0 dV.
ity.) The displacement d :s makes an angle
From Eq. 24-16 and Fig. 24-17, we see that the work done by the electric field may :
u with the direction of the electric field E .
:
also be written as the scalar product (q0E)  d :
s , or q0 E(cos u) ds. Equating these
two expressions for the work yields
q0 dV  q0 E(cos u) ds, (24-38)
dV
or E cos u   . (24-39)
ds
:
Since E cos u is the component of E in the direction of d :
s , Eq. 24-39 becomes

V
Es   . (24-40)
s

We have added a subscript to E and switched to the partial derivative symbols

to emphasize that Eq. 24-40 involves only the variation of V along a specified axis
:
(here called the s axis) and only the component of E along that axis. In words,
Eq. 24-40 (which is essentially the reverse operation of Eq. 24-18) states:
702 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

:
The component of E in any direction is the negative of the rate at which the
electric potential changes with distance in that direction.

If we take the s axis to be, in turn, the x, y, and z axes, we find that the x, y, and
:
z components of E at any point are

V V V
Ex   ; Ey   ; Ez   . (24-41)
x y z

Thus, if we know V for all points in the region around a charge distribution — that
:
is, if we know the function V(x, y, z) — we can find the components of E , and thus
:
E itself, at any point by taking partial derivatives.
:
For the simple situation in which the electric field E is uniform, Eq. 24-40
becomes V
E , (24-42)
s
where s is perpendicular to the equipotential surfaces. The component of the
electric field is zero in any direction parallel to the equipotential surfaces because
there is no change in potential along the surfaces.

Checkpoint 5
The figure shows
three pairs of parallel
plates with the same
separation, and the
electric potential of
each plate. The elec- –50 V +150 V –20 V +200 V –200 V –400 V
tric field between the (1) (2) (3)
plates is uniform and
perpendicular to the plates. (a) Rank the pairs according to the magnitude of the elec-
tric field between the plates, greatest first. (b) For which pair is the electric field point-
ing rightward? (c) If an electron is released midway between the third pair of plates,
does it remain there, move rightward at constant speed, move leftward at constant
speed, accelerate rightward, or accelerate leftward?

Sample Problem 24.05 Finding the field from the potential

:
The electric potential at any point on the central axis of a about that axis. Thus, we want the component Ez of E in the
uniformly charged disk is given by Eq. 24-37, direction of z. This component is the negative of the rate at
s which the electric potential changes with distance z.
V ( 2z2  R2  z).
2´0 Calculation: Thus, from the last of Eqs. 24-41, we can write
Starting with this expression, derive an expression for the V s d
electric field at any point on the axis of the disk. Ez    (2z2  R2  z)
z 2´0 dz
KEY IDEAS
:

s
2´0 1  z
2z2  R2
. (Answer)
We want the electric field E as a function of distance z along
:
the axis of the disk. For any value of z, the direction of E must This is the same expression that we derived in Module 22-5
be along that axis because the disk has circular symmetry by integration, using Coulomb’s law.

Additional examples, video, and practice available at WileyPLUS

 24-7 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL E N E RGY OF A SYSTE M OF CHARG E D PARTICLES 703

24-7 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL ENERGY OF A SYSTEM OF CHARGED PARTICLES

Learning Objectives
After reading this module, you should be able to . . .
24.27 Identify that the total potential energy of a system of cles, then the system’s total potential energy is equal to the
charged particles is equal to the work an applied force sum of the potential energies of every pair of the particles.
must do to assemble the system, starting with the particles 24.30 Apply the principle of the conservation of mechanical
infinitely far apart. energy to a system of charged particles.
24.28 Calculate the potential energy of a pair of charged 24.31 Calculate the escape speed of a charged particle
particles. from a system of charged particles (the minimum initial
24.29 Identify that if a system has more than two charged parti- speed required to move infinitely far from the system).

Key Idea
● The electric potential energy of a system of charged particles is equal to the work needed to assemble the system with the
particles initially at rest and infinitely distant from each other. For two particles at separation r,
1 q1q2
UW .
4p´0 r

Electric Potential Energy of a System of Charged Particles

In this module we are going to calculate the potential energy of a system of two q1 q2
charged particles and then briefly discuss how to expand the result to a system of + r +
more than two particles. Our starting point is to examine the work we must do (as Figure 24-18 Two charges held a fixed
an external agent) to bring together two charged particles that are initially infi- distance r apart.
nitely far apart and that end up near each other and stationary. If the two parti-
cles have the same sign of charge, we must fight against their mutual repulsion.
Our work is then positive and results in a positive potential energy for the final
two-particle system. If, instead, the two particles have opposite signs of charge,
our job is easy because of the mutual attraction of the particles. Our work is then
negative and results in a negative potential energy for the system.
Let’s follow this procedure to build the two-particle system in Fig. 24-18, where
particle 1 (with positive charge q1) and particle 2 (with positive charge q2) have sep-
aration r. Although both particles are positively charged, our result will apply also
to situations where they are both negatively charged or have different signs.
We start with particle 2 fixed in place and particle 1 infinitely far away, with
an initial potential energy Ui for the two-particle system. Next we bring particle 1
to its final position, and then the system’s potential energy is Uf . Our work
changes the system’s potential energy by U  Uf  Ui.
With Eq. 24-4 (U  q(Vf  Vi)), we can relate U to the change in potential
through which we move particle 1:
Uf  Ui  q1(Vf  Vi). (24-43)
Let’s evaluate these terms. The initial potential energy is Ui  0 because the parti-
cles are in the reference configuration (as discussed in Module 24-1). The two
potentials in Eq. 24-43 are due to particle 2 and are given by Eq. 24-26:
1 q2
V . (24-44)
4p´0 r
This tells us that when particle 1 is initially at distance r  , the potential at its
location is Vi  0. When we move it to the final position at distance r, the poten-
tial at its location is
1 q2
Vf  . (24-45)
4p´0 r
704 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

Substituting these results into Eq. 24-43 and dropping the subscript f, we find that
the final configuration has a potential energy of

1 q1q2
U (two-particle system). (24-46)
4p´0 r

Equation 24-46 includes the signs of the two charges. If the two charges have the
same sign, U is positive. If they have opposite signs, U is negative.
If we next bring in a third particle, with charge q3, we repeat our calculation,
starting with particle 3 at an infinite distance and then bringing it to a final posi-
tion at distance r31 from particle 1 and distance r32 from particle 2. At the final
position, the potential Vf at the location of particle 3 is the algebraic sum of the
potential V1 due to particle 1 and the potential V2 of particle 2. When we work
out the algebra, we find that

The total potential energy of a system of particles is the sum of the potential
energies for every pair of particles in the system.

This result applies to a system for any given number of particles.

Now that we have an expression for the potential energy of a system of par-
ticles, we can apply the principle of the conservation of energy to the system as
expressed in Eq. 24-10. For example, if the system consists of many particles, we
might consider the kinetic energy (and the associated escape speed) required of
one of the particles to escape from the rest of the particles.

Sample Problem 24.06 Potential energy of a system of three charged particles

Figure 24-19 shows three charged particles held in fixed q2

positions by forces that are not shown. What is the electric
potential energy U of this system of charges? Assume that Energy is associated
d  12 cm and that with each pair of
particles.
q1  q, q2  4q, and q3  2q, d d

in which q  150 nC.

+ d +
q1 q3
KEY IDEA
Figure 24-19 Three charges are fixed at the vertices of an equilateral
The potential energy U of the system is equal to the work
triangle. What is the electric potential energy of the system?
we must do to assemble the system, bringing in each charge
from an infinite distance.
place. The work that we must do in this last step is equal to
Calculations: Let’s mentally build the system of Fig. 24-19, the sum of the work we must do to bring q3 near q1 and the
starting with one of the charges, say q1, in place and the work we must do to bring it near q2. From Eq. 24-46, with d
others at infinity. Then we bring another one, say q2, in from substituted for r, that sum is
infinity and put it in place. From Eq. 24-46 with d substituted 1 q1q3 1 q2q3
for r, the potential energy U12 associated with the pair of W13  W23  U13  U23   .
4p´0 d 4p´0 d
charges q1 and q2 is
1 q1q2 The total potential energy U of the three-charge system is the
U12  . sum of the potential energies associated with the three pairs of
4p´0 d
charges. This sum (which is actually independent of the order
We then bring the last charge q3 in from infinity and put it in in which the charges are brought together) is
 24-7 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL E N E RGY OF A SYSTE M OF CHARG E D PARTICLES 705

U  U12  U13  U23 The negative potential energy means that negative
work would have to be done to assemble this structure,

1
4p´0  (q)(4q)
d

(q)(2q)
d

(4q)(2q)
d  starting with the three charges infinitely separated and at
rest. Put another way, an external agent would have to do 17
10q2 mJ of positive work to disassemble the structure completely,
 ending with the three charges infinitely far apart.
4p´0d
The lesson here is this: If you are given an assembly of
(8.99 109 Nm2/C 2)(10)(150 109 C)2 charged particles, you can find the potential energy of the as-

0.12 m sembly by finding the potential of every possible pair of the
particles and then summing the results.
 1.7 102 J  17 mJ. (Answer)

Sample Problem 24.07 Conservation of mechanical energy with electric potential energy

An alpha particle (two protons, two neutrons) moves into a

stationary gold atom (79 protons, 118 neutrons), passing
r
through the electron region that surrounds the gold nucleus
like a shell and headed directly toward the nucleus Alpha
(Fig. 24-20). The alpha particle slows until it momentarily particle
stops when its center is at radial distance r  9.23 fm from Gold
the nuclear center. Then it moves back along its incoming nucleus
path. (Because the gold nucleus is much more massive Figure 24-20 An alpha particle, traveling head-on toward the center of
than the alpha particle, we can assume the gold nucleus a gold nucleus, comes to a momentary stop (at which time all its ki-
does not move.) What was the kinetic energy Ki of the al- netic energy has been transferred to electric potential energy) and
pha particle when it was initially far away (hence external then reverses its path.
to the gold atom)? Assume that the only force acting be-
tween the alpha particle and the gold nucleus is the (elec- As the incoming alpha particle is slowed by this repul-
trostatic) Coulomb force and treat each as a single charged sive force, its kinetic energy is transferred to electric poten-
particle. tial energy of the system. The transfer is complete when the
alpha particle momentarily stops and the kinetic energy is
KEY IDEA Kf  0.
Calculations: The principle of conservation of mechanical
During the entire process, the mechanical energy of the
energy tells us that
alpha particle  gold atom system is conserved.
Ki  Ui  Kf  Uf . (24-47)
Reasoning: When the alpha particle is outside the atom,
the system’s initial electric potential energy Ui is zero be- We know two values: Ui  0 and Kf  0. We also know that
cause the atom has an equal number of electrons and pro- the potential energy Uf at the stopping point is given by the
tons, which produce a net electric field of zero. However, right side of Eq. 24-46, with q1  2e, q2  79e (in which e is
once the alpha particle passes through the electron region the elementary charge, 1.60 1019 C), and r  9.23 fm.
surrounding the nucleus on its way to the nucleus, the elec- Thus, we can rewrite Eq. 24-47 as
tric field due to the electrons goes to zero. The reason is that
1 (2e)(79e)
the electrons act like a closed spherical shell of uniform neg- Ki 
ative charge and, as discussed in Module 23-6, such a shell 4p´0 9.23 fm
produces zero electric field in the space it encloses. The (8.99 109 Nm2/C 2)(158)(1.60 1019 C)2
alpha particle still experiences the electric field of the 
9.23 1015 m
protons in the nucleus, which produces a repulsive force on
the protons within the alpha particle.  3.94 1012 J  24.6 MeV. (Answer)

Additional examples, video, and practice available at WileyPLUS

706 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

24-8 POTENTIAL OF A CHARGED ISOLATED CONDUCTOR

Learning Objectives
After reading this module, you should be able to . . .
24.32 Identify that an excess charge placed on an isolated has the same value as the surface and that externally the
conductor (or connected isolated conductors) will distrib- electric field and the electric potential have values as
ute itself on the surface of the conductor so that all points though all of the shell’s charge is concentrated as a
of the conductor come to the same potential. particle at its center.
24.33 For an isolated spherical conducting shell, sketch 24.35 For an isolated cylindrical conducting shell, identify
graphs of the potential and the electric field magnitude that internally the electric field is zero and the electric
versus distance from the center, both inside and outside potential has the same value as the surface and that exter-
the shell. nally the electric field and the electric potential have values
24.34 For an isolated spherical conducting shell, identify that as though all of the cylinder’s charge is concentrated as a
internally the electric field is zero and the electric potential line of charge on the central axis.

Key Ideas
● An excess charge placed on a conductor will, in the equilib- electric field, then at every internal point, the electric field due
rium state, be located entirely on the outer surface of the to the charge cancels the external electric field that otherwise
conductor. would have been there.
● The entire conductor, including interior points, is at a ● Also, the net electric field at every point on the surface is
uniform potential. perpendicular to the surface.
● If an isolated charged conductor is placed in an external

Potential of a Charged Isolated Conductor

:
In Module 23-3, we concluded that E  0 for all points inside an isolated conduc-
tor. We then used Gauss’ law to prove that an excess charge placed on an isolated
conductor lies entirely on its surface. (This is true even if the conductor has an
12
empty internal cavity.) Here we use the first of these facts to prove an extension
of the second:
8
V (kV)

4 An excess charge placed on an isolated conductor will distribute itself on the sur-
face of that conductor so that all points of the conductor—whether on the surface
0 or inside—come to the same potential. This is true even if the conductor has an
0 1 2 3 4 internal cavity and even if that cavity contains a net charge.
r (m)
(a)
Our proof follows directly from Eq. 24-18, which is
12
Vf  Vi   i
f
:
E  ds:.
E (kV/m)

8 :
Since E  0 for all points within a conductor, it follows directly that Vf  Vi for
all possible pairs of points i and f in the conductor.
4
Figure 24-21a is a plot of potential against radial distance r from the center
for an isolated spherical conducting shell of 1.0 m radius, having a charge of
0
0 1 2 3 4 1.0 mC. For points outside the shell, we can calculate V(r) from Eq. 24-26
r (m) because the charge q behaves for such external points as if it were concentrated at
(b) the center of the shell. That equation holds right up to the surface of the shell. Now
Figure 24-21 (a) A plot of V(r) both inside let us push a small test charge through the shell — assuming a small hole exists — to
and outside a charged spherical shell of its center. No extra work is needed to do this because no net electric force acts on
radius 1.0 m. (b) A plot of E(r) for the the test charge once it is inside the shell. Thus, the potential at all points inside the
same shell. shell has the same value as that on the surface, as Fig. 24-21a shows.
 R EVI EW & SU M MARY 707

Figure 24-21b shows the variation of electric field with radial distance for the
same shell. Note that E  0 everywhere inside the shell. The curves of Fig. 24-21b
can be derived from the curve of Fig. 24-21a by differentiating with respect to r,
using Eq. 24-40 (recall that the derivative of any constant is zero). The curve of
Fig. 24-21a can be derived from the curves of Fig. 24-21b by integrating with
respect to r, using Eq. 24-19.

Spark Discharge from a Charged Conductor

On nonspherical conductors, a surface charge does not distribute itself uniformly
over the surface of the conductor. At sharp points or sharp edges, the surface
charge density — and thus the external electric field, which is proportional to it —
may reach very high values. The air around such sharp points or edges may
become ionized, producing the corona discharge that golfers and mountaineers
see on the tips of bushes, golf clubs, and rock hammers when thunderstorms
threaten. Such corona discharges, like hair that stands on end, are often the
precursors of lightning strikes. In such circumstances, it is wise to enclose yourself
in a cavity inside a conducting shell, where the electric field is guaranteed to
Courtesy Westinghouse Electric Corporation
be zero. A car (unless it is a convertible or made with a plastic body) is almost
ideal (Fig. 24-22). Figure 24-22 A large spark jumps to a car’s
body and then exits by moving across the
Isolated Conductor in an External Electric Field insulating left front tire (note the flash
there), leaving the person inside unharmed.
If an isolated conductor is placed in an external electric field, as in Fig. 24-23, all
points of the conductor still come to a single potential regardless of whether the
conductor has an excess charge. The free conduction electrons distribute them-
selves on the surface in such a way that the electric field they produce at interior
points cancels the external electric field that would otherwise be there.
Furthermore, the electron distribution causes the net electric field at all points on
the surface to be perpendicular to the surface. If the conductor in Fig. 24-23 could
be somehow removed, leaving the surface charges frozen in place, the internal
and external electric field would remain absolutely unchanged.
– –
–– – + + +++
––– ++
–– +
– E =0 ++
– +
+
– +
– +
Figure 24-23 An uncharged conductor is suspended in an external electric field. The free – +
electrons in the conductor distribute themselves on the surface as shown, so as to reduce
the net electric field inside the conductor to zero and make the net field at the surface
perpendicular to the surface.

Review & Summary

Electric Potential The electric potential V at a point P in the If the particle moves through a potential difference V, the change
electric field of a charged object is in the electric potential energy is
W U U  q V  q(Vf  Vi). (24-4)
V  , (24-2)
q0 q0
Mechanical Energy If a particle moves through a change V
where W is the work that would be done by the electric force on a in electric potential without an applied force acting on it, applying
positive test charge were it brought from an infinite distance to P, the conservation of mechanical energy gives the change in kinetic
and U is the potential energy that would then be stored in the test energy as
K  q V. (24-9)
charge–object system.
If, instead, an applied force acts on the particle, doing work Wapp,
Electric Potential Energy If a particle with charge q is the change in kinetic energy is
placed at a point where the electric potential of a charged object is
V, the electric potential energy U of the particle–object system is K  q V  Wapp. (24-11)

U  qV. (24-3) In the special case when K  0, the work of an applied force
708 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

involves only the motion of the particle through a potential 1 p cos u

V (24-30)
difference: 4p´0 r2
Wapp  q V (for Ki  Kf). (24-12) for r  d; the angle u is defined in Fig. 24-13.

Equipotential Surfaces The points on an equipotential sur- Potential Due to a Continuous Charge Distribution
face all have the same electric potential. The work done on a test For a continuous distribution of charge, Eq. 24-27 becomes
charge in moving it from one such surface to another is independent
of the locations of the initial and final points on these surfaces and of
:
the path that joins the points. The electric field E is always directed V
1
4p´0
 dq
r
, (24-32)
perpendicularly to corresponding equipotential surfaces.
in which the integral is taken over the entire distribution.
:
Finding V from E The electric potential difference between : :
two points i and f is Calculating E from V The component of E in any direction
is the negative of the rate at which the potential changes with dis-

Vf  Vi   
i
f
:
E  d:
s, (24-18)
tance in that direction:

Es  
V
. (24-40)
s
where the integral is taken over any path connecting the points. If the
:
integration is difficult along any particular path, we can choose a differ- The x, y, and z components of E may be found from
ent path along which the integration might be easier. If we choose Vi  V V V
0, we have, for the potential at a particular point, Ex   ; Ey   ; Ez   . (24-41)
x y z

V i
f
:
E  d:
s. (24-19)
:
When E is uniform, Eq. 24-40 reduces to
V
E , (24-42)
In the special case of a uniform field of magnitude E, the po- s
tential change between two adjacent (parallel) equipotential lines where s is perpendicular to the equipotential surfaces.
separated by distance x is
Electric Potential Energy of a System of Charged
V  E x. (24-21) Particles The electric potential energy of a system of charged
particles is equal to the work needed to assemble the system with
Potential Due to a Charged Particle The electric potential the particles initially at rest and infinitely distant from each other.
due to a single charged particle at a distance r from that particle is For two particles at separation r,
1 q 1 q1q2
V , (24-26) UW . (24-46)
4p´0 r 4p´0 r
where V has the same sign as q. The potential due to a collection of
charged particles is Potential of a Charged Conductor An excess charge placed
on a conductor will, in the equilibrium state, be located entirely on
n n
1 qi
V   Vi   . (24-27) the outer surface of the conductor.The charge will distribute itself so
i1 4p´0 i1 ri that the following occur: (1) The entire conductor, including interior
points, is at a uniform potential. (2) At every internal point, the elec-
Potential Due to an Electric Dipole At a distance r from tric field due to the charge cancels the external electric field that oth-
an electric dipole with dipole moment magnitude p  qd, the elec- erwise would have been there. (3) The net electric field at every
tric potential of the dipole is point on the surface is perpendicular to the surface.

Questions
1 Figure 24-24 shows eight parti- –4q –2q +q cated for each equipotential surface. (a) Rank the arrangements
cles that form a square, with dis- d according to the magnitude of the electric field present in the re-
tance d between adjacent particles. gion, greatest first. (b) In which is the electric field directed down
What is the net electric potential at the page?
point P at the center of the square
if we take the electric potential to +5q –5q 20 V –140 V –10 V
be zero at infinity? P
40
2 Figure 24-25 shows three sets of 60 –120 –30
cross sections of equipotential sur- 80
faces in uniform electric fields; all 100 –100 –50
three cover the same size region of –q –2q +4q (1) (2) (3)
space. The electric potential is indi- Figure 24-24 Question 1. Figure 24-25 Question 2.
 QU ESTIONS 709

3 Figure 24-26 shows four pairs of charged particles. For each pair, let 8 In the situation of Question 7, is the work done by your force
V  0 at infinity and consider Vnet at points on the x axis. For which positive, negative, or zero if the particle is moved (a) from A to B,
pairs is there a point at which Vnet  0 (a) between the particles and (b) from A to C, and (c) from B to D? (d) Rank those moves
:
(b) to the right of the particles? (c) At such a point is Enet due to the par- according to the magnitude of the work done by your force,
ticles equal to zero? (d) For each pair, are there off-axis points (other greatest first.
than at infinity) where Vnet  0? 9 Figure 24-26 shows four pairs of charged particles with identi-
x x cal separations. (a) Rank the pairs according to their electric
–2q +6q +3q –4q potential energy (that is, the energy of the two-particle system),
(1) (2) greatest (most positive) first. (b) For each pair, if the separation be-
tween the particles is increased,
x x does the potential energy of the pair Q + R P
+12q +q –6q –2q increase or decrease? (a )
(3) (4)
10 (a) In Fig. 24-31a, what is the Q
potential at point P due to charge 40°(full angle)
Figure 24-26 Questions 3 and 9. R
Q at distance R from P? Set V  0 P
4 Figure 24-27 gives the electric V at infinity. (b) In Fig. 24-31b, the
potential V as a function of x. same charge Q has been spread (b )
(a) Rank the five regions according uniformly over a circular arc of ra-
to the magnitude of the x compo- dius R and central angle 40. What
is the potential at point P, the cen- Q
nent of the electric field within
1 2 3 4 5
them, greatest first. What is the di- x ter of curvature of the arc? (c) In
rection of the field along the x axis Fig. 24-31c, the same charge Q has
Figure 24-27 Question 4. R
in (b) region 2 and (c) region 4? been spread uniformly over a circle P
of radius R. What is the potential at
5 Figure 24-28 shows three paths
3 point P, the center of the circle?
along which we can move the posi-
(d) Rank the three situations
tively charged sphere A closer to
B +
2
+A according to the magnitude of the
positively charged sphere B, which 1
electric field that is set up at P,
is held fixed in place. (a) Would (c )
greatest first.
sphere A be moved to a higher or
lower electric potential? Is the work Figure 24-28 Question 5. 11 Figure 24-32 shows a thin, uni- Figure 24-31 Question 10.
done (b) by our force and (c) by the formly charged rod and three points
electric field due to B positive, negative, or zero? (d) Rank the at the same distance d from the rod. Rank the magnitude of the elec-
paths according to the work our force does, greatest first. tric potential the rod produces at those three points, greatest first.

6 Figure 24-29 shows four arrangements of charged particles, all y

the same distance from the origin. Rank the situations according to
a b
the net electric potential at the origin, most positive first. Take the
potential to be zero at infinity. d
c
x
+2q –2q –2q –4q
L/2 L/2 d
–2q +2q +2q
–9q –3q –q Figure 24-32 Question 11.
–2q –7q
(a) (b) (c) (d) 12 In Fig. 24-33, a particle is to be released at rest at point A
and then is to be accelerated directly through point B by an elec-
Figure 24-29 Question 6.
tric field. The potential difference between points A and B is 100
V. Which point should be at higher electric potential if the parti-
7 Figure 24-30 shows a system of three charged particles. If you
cle is (a) an electron, (b) a proton, and (c) an alpha particle (a
move the particle of charge q from point A to point D, are the
nucleus of two protons and two neutrons)? (d) Rank the kinetic
following quantities positive, negative, or zero: (a) the change in
energies of the particles at point B, greatest first.
the electric potential energy of the three-particle system, (b) the
work done by the net electric force on the particle you moved (that
is, the net force due to the other two particles), and (c) the work
done by your force? (d) What are the answers to (a) through (c) if, A B
instead, the particle is moved from B to C?

d d d d d 100 V
+q
A +Q B C +Q D
Figure 24-33
Figure 24-30 Questions 7 and 8. Question 12.
710 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

Problems
Tutoring problem available (at instructor’s discretion) in WileyPLUS and WebAssign
SSM Worked-out solution available in Student Solutions Manual WWW Worked-out solution is at
http://www.wiley.com/college/halliday
• – ••• Number of dots indicates level of problem difficulty ILW Interactive solution is at
Additional information available in The Flying Circus of Physics and at flyingcircusofphysics.com

Module 24-1 Electric Potential ••9 An infinite nonconducting sheet has a surface charge density
•1 SSM A particular 12 V car battery can send a total charge of s  5.80 pC/m2. (a) How much work is done by the electric field
84 A h (ampere-hours) through a circuit, from one terminal to the due to the sheet if a particle of charge q  1.60 1019 C is
other. (a) How many coulombs of charge does this represent? moved from the sheet to a point P at distance d  3.56 cm from the
(Hint: See Eq. 21-3.) (b) If this entire charge undergoes a change in sheet? (b) If the electric potential V is defined to be zero on the
electric potential of 12 V, how much energy is involved? sheet, what is V at P?
•2 The electric potential difference between the ground and a •••10 Two uniformly charged, infinite, nonconducting planes are
cloud in a particular thunderstorm is 1.2 109 V. In the unit parallel to a yz plane and positioned at x  50 cm and x  50
electron-volts, what is the magnitude of the change in the electric cm. The charge densities on the planes are 50 nC/m2 and 25
potential energy of an electron that moves between the ground nC/m2, respectively. What is the magnitude of the potential differ-
and the cloud? ence between the origin and the point on the x axis at x  80 cm?
(Hint: Use Gauss’ law.)
•3 Suppose that in a lightning flash the potential difference be-
tween a cloud and the ground is 1.0 109 V and the quantity of •••11 A nonconducting sphere has radius R  2.31 cm and uni-
charge transferred is 30 C. (a) What is the change in energy of that formly distributed charge q  3.50 fC. Take the electric potential
transferred charge? (b) If all the energy released could be used to at the sphere’s center to be V0  0. What is V at radial distance
accelerate a 1000 kg car from rest, what would be its final speed? (a) r  1.45 cm and (b) r  R. (Hint: See Module 23-6.)
Module 24-3 Potential Due to a Charged Particle
Module 24-2 Equipotential Surfaces and the Electric Field •12 As a space shuttle moves through the dilute ionized gas of
•4 Two large, parallel, conducting plates are 12 cm apart and have Earth’s ionosphere, the shuttle’s potential is typically changed by
charges of equal magnitude and opposite sign on their facing sur- 1.0 V during one revolution. Assuming the shuttle is a sphere of
faces. An electric force of 3.9 1015 N acts on an electron placed radius 10 m, estimate the amount of charge it collects.
anywhere between the two plates. (Neglect fringing.) (a) Find the
electric field at the position of the electron. (b) What is the poten- •13 What are (a) the charge and (b) the charge density on the
tial difference between the plates? surface of a conducting sphere of radius 0.15 m whose potential is
200 V (with V  0 at infinity)?
•5 SSM An infinite nonconducting sheet has a surface charge
density s  0.10 mC/m2 on one side. How far apart are equipoten- •14 Consider a particle with charge q  1.0 mC, point A at distance
tial surfaces whose potentials differ by 50 V? d1  2.0 m from q, and point B at distance d2  1.0 m. (a) If A and B
are diametrically opposite each other, as in Fig. 24-36a, what is the
•6 When an electron moves from Electric electric potential difference VA  VB? (b) What is that electric
A to B along an electric field line in field
line A potential difference if A and B are located as in Fig. 24-36b?
Fig. 24-34, the electric field does
3.94 1019 J of work on it. What B
are the electric potential differences B
(a) VB  VA, (b) VC  VA, and (c) d2
VC  VB? C
••7 The electric field in a region of d2 + d1 + d1
Equipotentials B q A q A
space has the components Ey 
Ez  0 and Ex  (4.00 N/C)x. Point Figure 24-34 Problem 6. (a ) (b )
A is on the y axis at y 3.00 m, and Figure 24-36 Problem 14.
point B is on the x axis at x  4.00 m. What is the potential differ-
ence VB  VA? ••15 SSM ILW A spherical drop of water carrying a charge of 30
••8 A graph of the x component of the electric field as a function pC has a potential of 500 V at its surface (with V  0 at infinity).
of x in a region of space is shown in Fig. 24-35. The scale of the verti- (a) What is the radius of the drop? (b) If two such drops of the
cal axis is set by Exs  20.0 N/C. The y and z components of the same charge and radius combine to form a single spherical drop,
electric field are zero in this region. If the electric potential at the what is the potential at the surface
+2q1 +4q 2 –3q1
origin is 10 V, (a) what is the electric Exs of the new drop?
a a
potential at x  2.0 m, (b) what is
Ex (N/C)

••16 Figure 24-37 shows a rec-

the greatest positive value of the elec- 0 tangular array of charged particles a a
1 2 3 4 5 6
tric potential for points on the x axis fixed in place, with distance a  39.0
for which 0  x  6.0 m, and (c) for –E xs cm and the charges shown as integer a a
what value of x is the electric poten- x (m) multiples of q1  3.40 pC and q2  –q1 +4q 2 +2q1
tial zero? Figure 24-35 Problem 8. 6.00 pC. With V  0 at infinity, what Figure 24-37 Problem 16.
 PROB LE M S 711

–q
is the net electric potential at the + +q an electric dipole, on the positive side of the dipole. (The origin of z
rectangle’s center? (Hint: Thought- d is at the center of the dipole.) The particle is then moved along a
ful examination of the arrangement d circular path around the dipole center until it is at coordinate z 
can reduce the calculation.) d –q 20 nm, on the negative side of the dipole axis. Figure 24-41b gives
••17 In Fig. 24-38, what is the net
P the work Wa done by the force moving the particle versus the angle u
electric potential at point P due to d that locates the particle relative to the positive direction of the z
the four particles if V  0 at infinity, axis. The scale of the vertical axis is set by Was  4.0 1030 J. What
q  5.00 fC, and d  4.00 cm? +q + is the magnitude of the dipole moment?
••18 Two charged particles are Figure 24-38 Problem 17. Module 24-5 Potential Due to a Continuous
shown in Fig. 24-39a. Particle 1, with Charge Distribution
charge q1, is fixed in place at distance d. Particle 2, with charge q2, •23 (a) Figure 24-42a shows a nonconducting rod of length L 
can be moved along the x axis. Figure 24-39b gives the net electric 6.00 cm and uniform linear charge density l  3.68 pC/m. Assume
potential V at the origin due to the two particles as a function of that the electric potential is defined to be V  0 at infinity. What is V
the x coordinate of particle 2. The scale of the x axis is set by xs  at point P at distance d  8.00 cm along the rod’s perpendicular bi-
16.0 cm. The plot has an asymptote of V  5.76 107 V as x : . sector? (b) Figure 24-42b shows an identical rod except that one half
What is q2 in terms of e? is now negatively charged. Both halves have a linear charge density
of magnitude 3.68 pC/m.With V  0 at infinity, what is V at P?
y 4
P P
V (10–7 V)

0 x (cm)
d xs
x
1 2 d d
–10
(a) (b) + + + + + + + + + + + + + +++++++ –––––––
L/2 L/2 L/2 L/2
Figure 24-39 Problem 18.
(a ) (b )
y
••19 In Fig. 24-40, particles with Figure 24-42 Problem 23.
the charges q1  5e and q2  15e q1 q2
are fixed in place with a separation of x Q
•24 In Fig. 24-43, a plastic rod having a uni-
d  24.0 cm. With electric potential d formly distributed charge Q  25.6 pC
defined to be V  0 at infinity, what
has been bent into a circular arc of radius
are the finite (a) positive and (b) neg- Figure 24-40 Problems 19 φ
R  3.71 cm and central angle f  120. With
ative values of x at which the net elec- and 20. P
V  0 at infinity, what is the electric potential R
tric potential on the x axis is zero?
at P, the center of curvature of the rod?
••20 Two particles, of charges q1 and q2, are separated by distance •25 A plastic rod has been bent into a circle
d in Fig. 24-40. The net electric field due to the particles is zero at of radius R  8.20 cm. It has a charge Q1 
x  d/4. With V  0 at infinity, locate (in terms of d) any point on 4.20 pC uniformly distributed along one-
the x axis (other than at infinity) at which the electric potential due quarter of its circumference and a charge Figure 24-43
to the two particles is zero. Q2  6Q1 uniformly distributed along the Problem 24.
Module 24-4 Potential Due to an Electric Dipole rest of the circumference (Fig. 24-44). With
•21 ILW The ammonia molecule NH3 has a permanent electric V  0 at infinity, what is the electric potential at (a) the center C of
dipole moment equal to 1.47 D, where 1 D  1 debye unit  the circle and (b) point P, on the central axis of the circle at dis-
3.34 1030 C m. Calculate the electric potential due to an am- tance D  6.71 cm from the center?
monia molecule at a point 52.0 nm away along the axis of the P
dipole. (Set V  0 at infinity.)
z D
Q2
+e

θ 0 θ R C
Wa (10–30 J)

+
Q1
–
– Was Figure 24-44 Problem 25.

(a) (b) ••26 Figure 24-45 shows a thin P

rod with a uniform charge density d
Figure 24-41 Problem 22. Rod
of 2.00 mC/m. Evaluate the electric x
potential at point P if d  D  D
L
••22 In Fig. 24-41a, a particle of elementary charge e is initially L/4.00. Assume that the potential is
at coordinate z  20 nm on the dipole axis (here a z axis) through zero at infinity. Figure 24-45 Problem 26.
712 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

••27 In Fig. 24-46, three thin plas- y (cm) •••32 A nonuniform linear charge distribution given by l 
tic rods form quarter-circles with a 4.0 bx, where b is a constant, is located along an x axis from x  0 to
common center of curvature at the Q3 x  0.20 m. If b  20 nC/m2 and V  0 at infinity, what is the
origin. The uniform charges on the Q2 2.0 electric potential at (a) the origin and (b) the point y  0.15 m
three rods are Q1  30 nC, Q2  1.0 on the y axis?
3.0Q1, and Q3  8.0Q1. What is x (cm)
•••33 The thin plastic rod shown in Fig. 24-47 has length L 
Q1
the net electric potential at the ori- 12.0 cm and a nonuniform linear charge density l  cx, where
gin due to the rods? Figure 24-46 Problem 27. c  28.9 pC/m2. With V  0 at infinity, find the electric potential
••28 Figure 24-47 shows a thin y at point P1 on the axis, at distance d  3.00 cm from one end.
plastic rod of length L  12.0 cm
Module 24-6 Calculating the Field from the Potential
and uniform positive charge Q  P2
56.1 fC lying on an x axis.With V  0 •34 Two large parallel metal plates are 1.5 cm apart and have
at infinity, find the electric potential charges of equal magnitudes but opposite signs on their facing sur-
D
at point P1 on the axis, at distance faces. Take the potential of the negative plate to be zero. If the
d  2.50 cm from the rod.
P1
+ + + + + + + + + + x potential halfway between the plates is then 5.0 V, what is the
d L electric field in the region between the plates?
••29 In Fig. 24-48, what is the net
electric potential at the origin due •35 The electric potential at points in an xy plane is given by
Figure 24-47 Problems 28, 33, V  (2.0 V/m2)x2  (3.0 V/m2)y2. In unit-vector notation, what is
to the circular arc of charge Q1 
38, and 40. the electric field at the point (3.0 m, 2.0 m)?
7.21 pC and the two particles of
charges Q2  4.00Q1 and Q3  2.00Q1? The arc’s center of curva- •36 The electric potential V in the space between two flat parallel
ture is at the origin and its radius is R  2.00 m; the angle indicated plates 1 and 2 is given (in volts) by V  1500x2, where x (in meters)
is u  20.0. is the perpendicular distance from plate 1. At x  1.3 cm, (a) what
y is the magnitude of the electric field and (b) is the field directed to-
ward or away from plate 1?
Q2 ••37 SSM What is the magnitude of the electric field at the point
Q1 (3.00î  2.00ĵ  4.00k̂) m if the electric potential in the region is
R 2.00R given by V  2.00xyz2, where V is in volts and coordinates x, y,
θ and z are in meters?
x
••38 Figure 24-47 shows a thin plastic rod of length L  13.5 cm
R and uniform charge 43.6 fC. (a) In terms of distance d, find an ex-
pression for the electric potential at point P1. (b) Next, substitute
Q3 variable x for d and find an expression for the magnitude of the
component Ex of the electric field at P1. (c) What is the direction of
Figure 24-48 Problem 29. Ex relative to the positive direction of the x axis? (d) What is the
value of Ex at P1 for x  d  6.20 cm? (e) From the symmetry in
••30 The smiling face of Fig. 24- Fig. 24-47, determine Ey at P1.
49 consists of three items: ••39 An electron is placed in an xy plane where the electric po-
tential depends on x and y as shown, for the coordinate axes, in
1. a thin rod of charge 3.0 mC that
Fig. 24-51 (the potential does not depend on z). The scale of the
forms a full circle of radius 6.0 cm;
vertical axis is set by Vs  500 V. In unit-vector notation, what is
2. a second thin rod of charge 2.0 mC the electric force on the electron?
that forms a circular arc of radius
4.0 cm, subtending an angle of 90
0
about the center of the full circle; 0.2 0.4
3. an electric dipole with a dipole Figure 24-49 Problem 30.
Vs
moment that is perpendicular to a
V (V)

V (V)

radial line and has a magnitude of P ⫺Vs

1.28 1021 C m.
0
D 0.2 0.4
What is the net electric potential at
⫺2Vs
the center?
x (m) y (m)
••31 SSM WWW A plastic disk of R
radius R  64.0 cm is charged on Figure 24-51 Problem 39.
one side with a uniform surface
charge density s  7.73 fC/m2, Figure 24-50 Problem 31. •••40 The thin plastic rod of length L  10.0 cm in Fig. 24-47
and then three quadrants of the disk has a nonuniform linear charge density l  cx, where c 
are removed. The remaining quadrant is shown in Fig. 24-50. With 49.9 pC/m2. (a) With V  0 at infinity, find the electric potential at
V  0 at infinity, what is the potential due to the remaining quad- point P2 on the y axis at y  D  3.56 cm. (b) Find the electric field
rant at point P, which is on the central axis of the original disk at component Ey at P2. (c) Why cannot the field component Ex at P2
distance D  25.9 cm from the original center? be found using the result of (a)?
 PROB LE M S 713

Module 24-7 Electric Potential Energy of a System infinity to the indicated point near q1 Q
of Charged Particles two fixed particles of charges q1  + 2.00d +
θ1 θ2
•41 A particle of charge 7.5 mC is released from rest at the 4e and q2  q1/2? Distance d  d
point x  60 cm on an x axis. The particle begins to move due to 1.40 cm, u1  43, and u2  60.
the presence of a charge Q that remains fixed at the origin. What is
••51 In the rectangle of Fig. 24- q2
the kinetic energy of the particle at the instant it has moved 40 cm
55, the sides have lengths 5.0 cm and
if (a) Q  20 mC and (b) Q  20 mC?
15 cm, q1  5.0 mC, and q2  2.0 ∞
•42 (a) What is the electric potential energy of two electrons mC. With V  0 at infinity, what is the Figure 24-54 Problem 50.
separated by 2.00 nm? (b) If the separation increases, does the po- electric potential at (a) corner A and
tential energy increase or decrease? (b) corner B? (c) How much work is q1
A
•43 SSM ILW WWW How much work is
+q –q required to move a charge q3  3.0
+ a mC from B to A along a diagonal of
required to set up the arrangement of
Fig. 24-52 if q  2.30 pC, a  64.0 cm, and the rectangle? (d) Does this work in-
+q
the particles are initially infinitely far apart a a crease or decrease the electric po- B 2

and at rest? tential energy of the three-charge

system? Is more, less, or the same Figure 24-55 Problem 51.
•44 In Fig. 24-53, seven charged particles are a + work required if q3 is moved along a
fixed in place to form a square with an edge –q +q path that is (e) inside the rectangle but not on a diagonal and (f)
length of 4.0 cm. How much work must we do outside the rectangle?
to bring a particle of charge 6e initially at Figure 24-52
rest from an infinite distance to the center of Problem 43. ••52 Figure 24-56a shows an + – –e
the square? electron moving along an electric
y (a)
dipole axis toward the negative
side of the dipole. The dipole is
–2e 100
fixed in place. The electron was
–e –3e

K (eV)
initially very far from the dipole, 50
with kinetic energy 100 eV. Figure
x 24-56b gives the kinetic energy K
+2e 0 rs
of the electron versus its distance
r (m)
+3e +e r from the dipole center. The
+3e (b)
scale of the horizontal axis is set
by rs  0.10 m. What is the magni- Figure 24-56 Problem 52.
Figure 24-53 Problem 44.
tude of the dipole moment?

••45 ILW A particle of charge q is fixed at point P, and a second ••53 Two tiny metal spheres A and B, mass mA  5.00 g and mB 
particle of mass m and the same charge q is initially held a distance 10.0 g, have equal positive charge q  5.00 mC. The spheres are con-
r1 from P. The second particle is then released. Determine its speed nected by a massless nonconducting string of length d  1.00 m,
when it is a distance r2 from P. Let q  3.1 mC, m  20 mg, r1  which is much greater than the radii of the spheres. (a) What is the
0.90 mm, and r2  2.5 mm. electric potential energy of the system? (b) Suppose you cut
the string.At that instant, what is the acceleration of each sphere? (c)
••46 A charge of 9.0 nC is uniformly distributed around a thin A long time after you cut the string, what is the speed of each sphere?
plastic ring lying in a yz plane with the ring center at the origin. A
6.0 pC particle is located on the x axis at x  3.0 m. For a ring ra- ••54 A positron (charge e,
V (V)
dius of 1.5 m, how much work must an external force do on the mass equal to the electron mass) is
particle to move it to the origin? moving at 1.0 10 m/s in the posi- Vs
7

tive direction of an x axis when, at

••47 What is the escape speed for an electron initially at rest on x  0, it encounters an electric field
the surface of a sphere with a radius of 1.0 cm and a uniformly dis- directed along the x axis.The electric
tributed charge of 1.6 1015 C? That is, what initial speed must potential V associated with the field x (cm)
the electron have in order to reach an infinite distance from the is given in Fig. 24-57.The scale of the 0 20 50
sphere and have zero kinetic energy when it gets there? vertical axis is set by Vs  500.0 V. Figure 24-57 Problem 54.
••48 A thin, spherical, conducting shell of radius R is mounted (a) Does the positron emerge from
on an isolating support and charged to a potential of 125 V. An the field at x  0 (which means its motion is reversed) or at x  0.50
electron is then fired directly toward the center of the shell, from m (which means its motion is not reversed)? (b) What is its speed
point P at distance r from the center of the shell (r  R). What ini- when it emerges?
tial speed v0 is needed for the electron to just reach the shell before ••55 An electron is projected with an initial speed of 3.2 10 5 m/s
reversing direction? directly toward a proton that is fixed in place. If the electron is ini-
••49 Two electrons are fixed 2.0 cm apart. Another electron is tially a great distance from the proton, at what distance from the
shot from infinity and stops midway between the two. What is its proton is the speed of the electron instantaneously equal to twice
initial speed? the initial value?
••50 In Fig. 24-54, how much work must we do to bring a particle, ••56 Particle 1 (with a charge of 5.0 mC) and particle 2 (with
of charge Q  16e and initially at rest, along the dashed line from a charge of 3.0 mC) are fixed in place with separation d  4.0 cm
714 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

on the x axis shown in Fig. 24-58a. Particle 3 can be moved along the circle. (b) With that addition of the electron to the system of 12
the x axis to the right of particle 2. Figure 24-58b gives the electric charged particles, what is the change in the electric potential en-
potential energy U of the three-particle system as a function of the ergy of the system?
x coordinate of particle 3. The scale of the vertical axis is set by –e –e
Us  5.0 J. What is the charge of particle 3?
y

Us
d Q

U (J)
x 0 x (cm)
1 2 3 10 20 R
–Us
(a) (b)
(a) (b)
Figure 24-58 Problem 56.
Figure 24-61 Problem 60.
••57 SSM Identical 50 mC charges are fixed on an x axis at •••61 Suppose N electrons can be placed in either of two
x  3.0 m. A particle of charge q  15 mC is then released from configurations. In configuration 1, they are all placed on the cir-
rest at a point on the positive part of the y axis. Due to the symme- cumference of a narrow ring of radius R and are uniformly distrib-
try of the situation, the particle moves along the y axis and has ki- uted so that the distance between adjacent electrons is the same
netic energy 1.2 J as it passes through the point x  0, y  4.0 m. everywhere. In configuration 2, N  1 electrons are uniformly
(a) What is the kinetic energy of the particle as it passes through distributed on the ring and one electron is placed in the center of the
the origin? (b) At what negative value of y will the particle mo- ring. (a) What is the smallest value of N for which the second config-
mentarily stop? uration is less energetic than the first? (b) For that value of N, con-
sider any one circumference electron — call it e0. How many other
••58 Proton in a Vs
circumference electrons are closer to e0 than the central electron is?
well. Figure 24-59
V (V)

shows electric poten- Module 24-8 Potential of a Charged Isolated Conductor

tial V along an x axis. •62 Sphere 1 with radius R1 has positive charge q. Sphere 2 with
The scale of the ver- radius 2.00R1 is far from sphere 1 and initially uncharged. After the
tical axis is set by x (cm) separated spheres are connected with a wire thin enough to retain
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Vs  10.0 V. A pro- only negligible charge, (a) is potential V1 of sphere 1 greater than,
ton is to be released Figure 24-59 Problem 58. less than, or equal to potential V2 of sphere 2? What fraction of q
at x  3.5 cm with ends up on (b) sphere 1 and (c) sphere 2? (d) What is the ratio
initial kinetic energy 4.00 eV. (a) If it is initially moving in the neg- s1/s2 of the surface charge densities of the spheres?
ative direction of the axis, does it reach a turning point (if so, what
•63 SSM WWW Two metal spheres, each of radius 3.0 cm, have a
is the x coordinate of that point) or does it escape from the plotted
center-to-center separation of 2.0 m. Sphere 1 has charge 1.0 
region (if so, what is its speed at x  0)? (b) If it is initially moving
108 C; sphere 2 has charge 3.0  108 C. Assume that the sepa-
in the positive direction of the axis, does it reach a turning point (if
ration is large enough for us to say that the charge on each sphere
so, what is the x coordinate of that point) or does it escape from the
is uniformly distributed (the spheres do not affect each other).
plotted region (if so, what is its speed at x  6.0 cm)? What are the
With V  0 at infinity, calculate (a) the potential at the point
(c) magnitude F and (d) direction (positive or negative direction of
halfway between the centers and the potential on the surface of
the x axis) of the electric force on the proton if the proton moves
(b) sphere 1 and (c) sphere 2.
just to the left of x  3.0 cm? What are (e) F and (f) the direction if
the proton moves just to the right of x  5.0 cm? •64 A hollow metal sphere has a potential of 400 V with respect
to ground (defined to be at V  0) and a charge of 5.0  109 C. Find
••59 In Fig. 24-60, a charged particle d the electric potential at the center of the sphere.
(either an electron or a proton) is moving
rightward between two parallel charged •65 SSM What is the excess charge on a conducting sphere of
plates separated by distance d  2.00 mm. radius r  0.15 m if the potential of the sphere is 1500 V and
The plate potentials are V1  70.0 V and V  0 at infinity?
V2  50.0 V. The particle is slowing from ••66 Two isolated, concentric, conducting spherical shells have
an initial speed of 90.0 km/s at the left V1 V2
radii R1  0.500 m and R2  1.00 m, uniform charges q1  2.00 mC
plate. (a) Is the particle an electron or a Figure 24-60 and q2  1.00 mC, and negligible thicknesses. What is the magni-
proton? (b) What is its speed just as it Problem 59. tude of the electric field E at radial distance (a) r  4.00 m, (b) r 
reaches plate 2? 0.700 m, and (c) r  0.200 m? With V  0 at infinity, what is V at
••60 In Fig. 24-61a, we move an electron from an infinite distance (d) r  4.00 m, (e) r  1.00 m, (f) r  0.700 m, (g) r  0.500 m,
to a point at distance R  8.00 cm from a tiny charged ball. The (h) r  0.200 m, and (i) r  0? ( j) Sketch E(r) and V(r).
move requires work W  2.16  1013 J by us. (a) What is the ••67 A metal sphere of radius 15 cm has a net charge of 3.0 
charge Q on the ball? In Fig. 24-61b, the ball has been sliced up and 108 C. (a) What is the electric field at the sphere’s surface? (b) If
the slices spread out so that an equal amount of charge is at the V  0 at infinity, what is the electric potential at the sphere’s sur-
hour positions on a circular clock face of radius R  8.00 cm. Now face? (c) At what distance from the sphere’s surface has the elec-
the electron is brought from an infinite distance to the center of tric potential decreased by 500 V?
 PROB LE M S 715

Additional Problems pC, q2  2.00q1, q3  3.00q1. With V  0 at infinity, what is the net
68 Here are the charges and coordinates of two charged parti- electric potential of the arcs at the common center of curvature?
cles located in an xy plane: q1  3.00  106 C, x  3.50 cm, 79 An electron is released from rest on the axis of an electric di-
y  0.500 cm and q2 4.00  106 C, x  2.00 cm, y  pole that has charge e and charge separation d  20 pm and that is
1.50 cm. How much work must be done to locate these charges fixed in place. The release point is on the positive side of the dipole,
at their given positions, starting from infinite separation? at distance 7.0d from the dipole center. What is the electron’s
69 SSM A long, solid, conducting cylinder has a radius of 2.0 cm. speed when it reaches a point 5.0d from the dipole center?
The electric field at the surface of the cylinder is 160 N/C, directed 80 Figure 24-64 shows a ring of P
radially outward. Let A, B, and C be points that are 1.0 cm, 2.0 cm, outer radius R  13.0 cm, inner radius
and 5.0 cm, respectively, from the central axis of the cylinder. What r  0.200R, and uniform surface
are (a) the magnitude of the electric field at C and the electric po- z
charge density s  6.20 pC/m2. With σ
tential differences (b) VB VC and (c) VA VB? V  0 at infinity, find the electric po-
70 The chocolate crumb mystery. This story begins with tential at point P on the central axis of R r
Problem 60 in Chapter 23. (a) From the answer to part (a) of that the ring, at distance z  2.00R from
problem, find an expression for the electric potential as a function the center of the ring.
of the radial distance r from the center of the pipe. (The electric 81 Electron in a well. Figure 24- Figure 24-64 Problem 80.
potential is zero on the grounded pipe wall.) (b) For the typical 65 shows electric potential
volume charge density r  1.1  103 C/m3, what is the differ- V along an x axis. The scale Vs
ence in the electric potential between the pipe’s center and its in- of the vertical axis is set by

V (V)
side wall? (The story continues with Problem 60 in Chapter 25.) Vs  8.0 V. An electron is
71 SSM Starting from Eq. 24-30, derive an expression for the to be released at x  4.5
electric field due to a dipole at a point on the dipole axis. cm with initial kinetic en- x (cm)
ergy 3.00 eV. (a) If it is ini- 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
72 The magnitude E of an electric field depends on the radial dis-
tance r according to E  A/r 4, where A is a constant with the unit tially moving in the nega- Figure 24-65 Problem 81.
volt – cubic meter. As a multiple of A, what is the magnitude of the tive direction of the axis,
electric potential difference between r  2.00 m and r  3.00 m? does it reach a turning point (if so, what is the x coordinate of that
point) or does it escape from the plotted region (if so, what is its speed
73 (a) If an isolated conducting sphere 10 cm in radius has a net at x  0)? (b) If it is initially moving in the positive direction of the
charge of 4.0 mC and if V  0 at infinity, what is the potential on the axis, does it reach a turning point (if so, what is the x coordinate of that
surface of the sphere? (b) Can this situation actually occur, given that point) or does it escape from the plotted region (if so, what is its speed
the air around the sphere undergoes electrical q3 at x  7.0 cm)? What are the (c) magnitude F and (d) direction (posi-
breakdown when the field exceeds 3.0 MV/m? tive or negative direction of the x axis) of the electric force on the elec-
74 Three particles, charge q1  10 mC, tron if the electron moves just to the left of x  4.0 cm? What are (e) F
q2  20 mC, and q3  30 mC, are posi- and (f) the direction if it moves just to the right of x  5.0 cm?
a a
tioned at the vertices of an isosceles triangle 82 (a) If Earth had a uniform surface charge density of
as shown in Fig. 24-62. If a  10 cm and b  1.0 electron/m2 (a very artificial assumption), what would its
6.0 cm, how much work must an external potential be? (Set V  0 at infinity.) What would be the (b) magni-
agent do to exchange the positions of (a) q1 tude and (c) direction (radially inward or outward) of the electric
q2 b
q1
and q3 and, instead, (b) q1 and q2? field due to Earth just outside its surface?
75 An electric field of approximately Figure 24-62 83 In Fig. 24-66, point P is at distance d1
P
100 V/m is often observed near the surface of Problem 74. d1  4.00 m from particle 1 (q1  2e) q 1
Earth. If this were the field over the entire and distance d2  2.00 m from particle d2
surface, what would be the electric potential of a point on the sur- 2 (q2  2e), with both particles fixed
face? (Set V  0 at infinity.) in place. (a) With V  0 at infinity, what q2
76 A Gaussian sphere of radius 4.00 cm is centered on a ball that has is V at P? If we bring a particle of
a radius of 1.00 cm and a uniform charge distribution. The total (net) charge q3  2e from infinity to P, Figure 24-66 Problem 83.
electric flux through the surface of the y (b) how much work do we do and
Gaussian sphere is 5.60  10 N m /C.
4 2
q1 (c) what is the potential energy of the three-particle system?
What is the electric potential 12.0 cm 84 A solid conducting sphere of radius 3.0 cm has a charge of 30 nC
from the center of the ball? distributed uniformly over its surface. Let A be a point 1.0 cm from
77 In a Millikan oil-drop experiment the center of the sphere, S be a point on the surface of the sphere,
(Module 22-6), a uniform electric field 45.0° 45.0° and B be a point 5.0 cm from the cen- ∞
x
of 1.92  10 5 N/C is maintained in the ter of the sphere. What are the electric
region between two plates separated R potential differences (a) VS VB and +2e
by 1.50 cm. Find the potential differ- (b) VA VB?
ence between the plates. q3 85 In Fig. 24-67, we move a particle of +2e +e
q2 x
78 Figure 24-63 shows three circular, charge 2e in from infinity to the x axis. D D
nonconducting arcs of radius R  8.50 How much work do we do? Distance D
cm.The charges on the arcs are q1  4.52 Figure 24-63 Problem 78. is 4.00 m. Figure 24-67 Problem 85.
716 CHAPTE R 24 E LECTR IC POTE NTIAL

y 96 A charge q is distributed uniformly throughout a spherical

86 Figure 24-68 shows a hemi-
sphere with a charge of 4.00 mC dis- P volume of radius R. Let V  0 at infinity. What are (a) V at radial
tributed uniformly through its vol- distance r
R and (b) the potential difference between points at
ume. The hemisphere lies on an xy x r  R and the point at r  0?
plane the way half a grapefruit might 97 SSM A solid copper sphere whose radius is 1.0 cm has a very
Figure 24-68 Problem 86.
lie face down on a kitchen table. thin surface coating of nickel. Some of the nickel atoms are
Point P is located on the plane, along a radial line from the hemi- radioactive, each atom emitting an electron as it decays. Half
sphere’s center of curvature, at radial distance 15 cm. What is the of these electrons enter the copper sphere, each depositing 100 keV
electric potential at point P due to the hemisphere? of energy there. The other half of the electrons escape, each carrying
87 SSM Three 0.12 C charges form an equilateral triangle 1.7 m away a charge e.The nickel coating has an activity of 3.70  10 8 ra-
on a side. Using energy supplied at the rate of 0.83 kW, how many dioactive decays per second. The sphere is hung from a long, non-
days would be required to move one of the charges to the midpoint conducting string and isolated from its surroundings. (a) How long
of the line joining the other two charges? will it take for the potential of the sphere to increase by 1000 V? (b)
88 Two charges q  2.0 mC are How long will it take for the temperature of the sphere to increase
C
fixed a distance d  2.0 cm apart (Fig. by 5.0 K due to the energy deposited by the electrons? The heat
24-69). (a) With V  0 at infinity, what is capacity of the sphere is 14 J/K.
the electric potential at point C? (b) d/2 98 In Fig. 24-71, a metal sphere
You bring a third charge q  2.0 mC with charge q  5.00 mC and radius Q
from infinity to C. How much work
+ d/2 d/2 + r  3.00 cm is concentric with a
q q
must you do? (c) What is the potential larger metal sphere with charge Q 
energy U of the three-charge configura- Figure 24-69 Problem 88. 15.0 mC and radius R  6.00 cm. (a)
r
What is the potential difference be- q
tion when the third charge is in place?
tween the spheres? If we connect the
89 Initially two electrons are fixed in place with a separation of spheres with a wire, what then is the R
2.00 mm. How much work must we do to bring a third electron in charge on (b) the smaller sphere and
from infinity to complete an equilateral triangle? (c) the larger sphere?
90 A particle of positive charge Q is fixed at point P. A second
99 (a) Using Eq. 24-32, show that Isolating
particle of mass m and negative charge q moves at constant stand
the electric potential at a point on
speed in a circle of radius r1, centered at P. Derive an expression
the central axis of a thin ring (of
for the work W that must be done by an external agent on
charge q and radius R) and at dis- Figure 24-71 Problem 98.
the second particle to increase the radius of the circle of
tance z from the ring is
motion to r2.
1 q
91 Two charged, parallel, flat conducting surfaces are spaced d  V .
4p´0 2z2  R2
1.00 cm apart and produce a potential difference V  625 V be-
tween them. An electron is projected from one surface directly to- (b) From this result, derive an expression for the electric field mag-
ward the second. What is the initial speed of the electron if it stops nitude E at points on the ring’s axis; compare your result with the
just at the second surface? calculation of E in Module 22-4.
+q 1 –q 2 –q 3
92 In Fig. 24-70, point P is at the d d 100 An alpha particle (which has two protons) is sent directly to-
center of the rectangle. With V  0 at ward a target nucleus containing 92 protons. The alpha particle has
infinity, q1  5.00 fC, q2  2.00 fC, d P d an initial kinetic energy of 0.48 pJ. What is the least center-to-center
q3  3.00 fC, and d  2.54 cm, what is distance the alpha particle will be from the target nucleus, assum-
the net electric potential at P due to d d ing the nucleus does not move?
the six charged particles? +q 3 –q 2 +q 1
101 In the quark model of fundamental particles, a proton is
93 SSM A uniform charge of 16.0 Figure 24-70 Problem 92. composed of three quarks: two “up” quarks, each having charge
mC is on a thin circular ring lying in 2e/3, and one “down” quark, having charge e/3. Suppose that
an xy plane and centered on the origin. The ring’s radius is 3.00 cm. the three quarks are equidistant from one another. Take that sepa-
If point A is at the origin and point B is on the z axis at z  4.00 ration distance to be 1.32  1015 m and calculate the electric
cm, what is VB  VA? potential energy of the system of (a) only the two up quarks and
(b) all three quarks.
94 Consider a particle with charge q  1.50  108 C, and take
V  0 at infinity. (a) What are the shape and dimensions of an 102 A charge of 1.50  108 C lies on an isolated metal sphere of
equipotential surface having a potential of 30.0 V due to q alone? radius 16.0 cm. With V  0 at infinity, what is the electric potential
(b) Are surfaces whose potentials differ by a constant amount at points on the sphere’s surface?
(1.0 V, say) evenly spaced? 103 In Fig. 24-72, two particles of
1 2 P
95 SSM A thick spherical shell of charge Q and uniform volume charges q1 and q2 are fixed to an x x
charge density r is bounded by radii r1 and r2 r1. With V  0 at axis. If a third particle, of charge d 1.5d
infinity, find the electric potential V as a function of distance r from 6.0 mC, is brought from an infinite
Figure 24-72 Problem 103.
the center of the distribution, considering regions (a) r r2, distance to point P, the three-parti-
(b) r2 r r1, and (c) r
r1. (d) Do these solutions agree with cle system has the same electric potential energy as the original
each other at r  r2 and r  r1? (Hint: See Module 23-6.) two-particle system. What is the charge ratio q1/q2?