Electrostatic Potential

and Capacitance CHAP T ER :2

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
Electric potential V at any point in a region of electric field is the minimum work done W in carrying a unit
positive charge q0 from infinity to that point.
V=— W
q 0

• Electrostatic potential at a point is a scalar quantity.

• SI unit of electric potential is volt (V).
• Potential is a relative parameter as it depends on the frame of reference.

POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE
Potential difference between two points A and B is defined as the amount of work done in moving a unit
positive test charge from one point to another.
WAB
VB–VA = ∆V = ——
q
• Potential difference does not depend on frame of reference, hence it is an absolute quantity.

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL DUE TO A POINT CHARGE

Electric potential difference at a point is the difference between the potential at the point and the potential
at infinity (reference point).
1 .— q +q P
V = —— ∞
4πε0 r r +1C
• A positive charge produces a positive electrostatic potential and a negative charge produces a negative
electrostatic potential.
• Electrostatic potential is zero at infinity.

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL DUE TO A DIPOLE

cos θ
1 . p———
Electric potential at a point P due to an electric dipole is V = ——
4πε0 r2 P
• When point P lies on the axial line of the dipole i.e., θ = 0°
p r
V = —— 1 .—
4πε0 r2
θ
• When point P lies on the equatorial line of the dipole, i.e., θ = 90° -q +q
2a
∴V=0
1 whereas
• Potential due to a point charge varies inversely as the distance from the charge i.e., V ∝ —
r
1
potential due to dipole falls off more rapidly, i.e., V ∝ —
r2
 ELECTRIC POTENTIAL DUE TO A SYSTEM OF CHARGES
Electric potential at a point due to a system of charges is equal to the algebraic sum of the potentials due to
the individual charges.
1 — q1 q2 q3 qn 1 ∑—
n
qi
V = V1 + V2 + V3 +....+Vn = —— r + —
r + —
r +........+ —
r or V = ——
4πε0 1 2 3 n 4πε0 ri
i=1

EQUIPOTENTIAL SURFACES
An equipotential surface is that surface at every point of which electric potential is the same.

Relation between E and V

Magnitude of electric field is given by the change in the magnitude of potential per unit displacement normal
to the equipotential surface at the point.
∂V
E = – ——
∂r
Negative sign shows that the electric field is in the direction of decreasing potential.
• Electric field lines are always perpendicular to an equipotential surface.
• Work done in moving an electric charge from one point to another on an equipotential surface is zero.
• Two equipotential surfaces can never intersect each another.

ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL ENERGY OF A SYSTEM OF TWO POINT CHARGES

1 q——
Electric potential energy of a system of two point charge q1 and q2 is U = ——
q
1 2
r
4πε0 12
where r12 is the distance between q1 and q2
• The SI unit of potential energy is joule (J).

ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL ENERGY DUE TO AN ELECTRIC DIPOLE

IN AN ELECTROSTATIC FIELD
Potential energy of a dipole in an external field is U = -p . E or U = -p E cos θ
where θ is the angle between external electric field (E) and electric dipole moment (p).
• Potential energy is maximum when θ = 180°, ∴ Umax = pE
• Potential energy is minimum when θ = 0°, ∴ Umin = -pE +q qE
• The electric dipole is in unstable equilibrium when it is oriented anti-parallel to θ
E
the electric field i.e., when θ = 180°. p
-qE -q
• The electric dipole is in stable equilibrium when it is aligned parallel to the
electric field i.e., θ = 0°.

CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS

The substances which can easily allow electricity to pass through them are called conductors. The substances
which do not allow electricity to pass through them are called insulators or dielectrics.
• Metals, humans, animal bodies and Earth are conductors.
 FREE CHARGES AND BOUND CHARGES INSIDE A CONDUCTOR
Conductors have a large number of free charge carriers that are free to move inside the material.
In constrast to conductors, insulators or dielectrics have charge carriers that are attached to specific atoms
and molecules. These charges are called bound charges. These charges however, can be displaced within an
atom or a molecule.
• Inside a conductor electric field, E = 0, therefore, net charge inside a conductor is zero.

DIELECTRICS AND ELECTRIC POLARISATION

Dielectrics are non-conducting substances which have negligible number of charge carriers.

Dielectrics

Polar Dielectrics Non-polar Dielectrics

Polar dielectrics are made up of polar Non-polar dielectrics are mode up of
molecules. Each polar molecule has a non-polar molecules. Each non-polar
permanent dipole moment. Examples of molecule has zero dipole moment.
polar dielectrics are water (H2O) and HCl. Examples of non-polar dielectrics are
oxygen (O2) and hydrogen (H2).

Polarisation is defined as the dipole moment per unit volume. For linear isotropic dielectrics, P = χe E,
where χe is a constant characteristic of the dielectric and is called electric susceptibility of the dielectric
medium.

CAPACITORS AND CAPACITANCE

A capacitor is a device that stores electric charge.
Capacitance of a capacitor is the ratio of charge (Q) given and the potential (V) to which it is raised.
C=—Q
V
Capacitance of a spherical conductor is C = 4πε0R, where R is the radius of the spherical conductor.
• The SI unit of capacitance is farad (F).
• Capacitance is a scalar quantity.

COMBINATION OF CAPACITORS IN SERIES AND IN PARALLEL

Capacitors In Series
q C1 C2 C3

V1 V2 V3
• Same charge flows through each capacitor.
• Different potential difference exists across each capacitor if C1 ≠ C2 ≠ C3, such that, V = V1 + V2 + V3 or
1 =—
— 1 +— 1 +—1
Cs C1 C 2 C3
• For n capacitors connected in series, total capacitance would be
i=n
—1 = ∑ — 1
Cs i=1 Ci
 Capacitors in Parallel
q1 C1
• Potential difference is same across each capacitor.
q2 C2
• Different charge flows across each capacitor if C1 ≠ C2 ≠ C3, such that,
q
q = q1 + q2 + q3 or Cp = C1 + C2 + C3 q3 C3
• For n capacitors connected in parallel, total capacitance would be V
i=n
C p = ∑ Ci
i=1

CAPACITANCE OF A PARALLEL PLATE CAPACITOR WITH AND

WITHOUT DIELECTRIC MEDIUM BETWEEN THE PLATES
When air is between the plates
ε 0A
d , where ε0 is the permittivity of free space, A
• Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is given by, C0 = ——
is the area of plates and d is the separation between the plates.
• The product ε0k is called the permittivity of the medium and is denoted by ε.
ε C
∴ ε = ε0k or k = — ε =— C
0 0

When dielectric is between the plates

kε0A
• Capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor with a dielectric between the plates is given by, C = —— ,
d
where k is the dielectric constant.
• The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor increases when dielectric is introduced between its plates.

ENERGY STORED IN A CAPACITOR

Work done in charging a capacitor gets stored in the capacitor in the form of its electric potential energy and
1 CV2 = —
it is given by U = — 1 QV = —
1 —Q2 , where C is the capacity of the capacitor.
2 2 2 C
• Energy density of electric field (u) is total energy stored per unit volume of the condenser. It's SI unit
is Jm-3
• Loss of energy in redistribution of charges.
• When a capacitor is charged with the help of a battery, the potential energy of the capacitor is obtained
at the cost of chemical energy stored in the battery.