Physics chapter 17- electric potential

Do positive charges move from high to low or low to high potential?

Positive charges move from a high to a low potential and negative charges move from a low to high potential

What is the symbol and unit for capacitance?

The constant of proportionality, C, is called the capacitance and has a unit called the farad [F = C/V]

What is the potential at a point equidistant between two opposite charges?

Zero

What is an electric dipole?

consists of two equal point charges Q, of opposite sign, separated by a distance l.

What is a capacitor?

device that can store electric charge, and normally consists of two conducting objects (usually plates or sheets) placed near each other but not touching. A simple capacitor consists of a pair of parallel plates of area A separated by a small distance d.

What is the electric potential? What is the symbol and units?

the electric potential energy per unit charge. Symbol is V, units are V

What is an electron volt (eV)?

the energy acquired by a particle carrying a charge whose magnitude equals that on the electron (q = e) as a result of moving through a potential difference of 1 V.

What is Q=CV used for?

to find the amount of charge Q acquired by each plate when attached to a battery (is proportional to the magnitude of the potential difference between the plates)

What is a charged capacitor? What does charging a capacitor do?

• A charged capacitor stores electric energy by separating positive and negative charges. • The energy stored in a capacitor will be equal to the work done to charge it. • The net effect of charging a capacitor is to remove charge from one plate and add it to the other plate.

What is a way to represent electric potential? What does this show? How does it relate to electric field? What is a difference between this and electric field lines?

• The electric potential can be represented by drawing equipotential lines, or in three dimensions, equipotential surfaces. • Equipotential lines or surfaces are ones on which all points are at the same potential. • An equipotential surface must be perpendicular to the electric field at any point. • Unlike electric field lines, which start and end on electric charges, equipotential lines and surfaces are always continuous and never end.

Conductors and potential

• The entire volume of a conductor must be entirely at the same potential in the static case. • The surface of a conductor is thus an equipotential surface.