Electric Potential Energy and Potential

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Physics Electromagnetism Electric Potential Energy and Potential

	Calculating field from the potential:
	The potential difference and the electric field can be related as: dV = - E.ds If the electric field has only one component Ex then dV = - E_xdx or That is the magnitude of the electric field in the direction of some coordinate is equal to the negative of the derivative of the electric potential with respect to that coordinate. If the charge distribution creating an electric field has a spherical symmetry such that the volume charge density depends only on the radial distance r, then the electric field is radial. In this case, E.ds = E_rdr so that we can express the radial electric field as: Equipotential Surfaces: The equipotential surfaces are the surfaces having equal electric potential everywhere. The lines having equal potential are called equipotential lines. Some of the equipotential lines created due to some point charges are shown below: There are certain rules in dealing with equipotential surfaces and equipotential lines. They are as follows: (i) Electric field lines are perpendicular to the equipotential lines (surfaces) and point from higher potential to lower. (ii) A conductor forms an equipotential surface. (iii)Where equipotential surfaces are close to each other, the electric field is strong otherwise weak. Thus, the potential difference on an equipotential surface is always zero.