Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences

PHYSICS II
ELECTRICITY AND MAGNETISM

LECTURE NOTES
PROF. DR. FAHRETTİN GÖKTAŞ

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL AND POTENTIAL ENERGY

REFERENCE TEXT BOOKS

1. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics, Raymond A. Serway and John W.
Jewett, Cengage Learning, Inc, 2015
2. University Physics with Modern Physics, Hugh D. Young and Roger A. Freedman, Pearson, 2015
3. Principles of Physics, David Halliday, Robert Resnick, Jearl Walker, John Wiley & Sons, 2014
4. Physics: Principles with Applications, Douglas C. Giancoli, Prentice-Hall, 2016

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POTENTIAL ENERGY AND POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE

1- Potential Energy

When a test charge q0 is placed in an electric field 𝐸"⃗ created by some source
charge distribution, the electric force acting on the test charge is

𝐹⃗ = 𝑞! 𝐸"⃗

If the test charge (q0) is positive then the force acting is in the direction of
field, but if the test charge is negative, the force acting on test charge is in
opposite direction to 𝐸"⃗.

This force, 𝑞! 𝐸"⃗, is also conservative because the force between charges
described by Coulomb’s law is conservative. Let’s consider that the test charge
has taken an infinitesimal displacement 𝑑𝑟⃗ due to this force. The work done is
given as

𝑑𝑊 = 𝐹⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗ = 𝑞! 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗

The work done by a conservative force is equal to the change in the potential
energy. Thus,

𝑑𝑈 = −𝑑𝑊 = −𝑞! 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗

For a finite displacement of the charge from point A to point B, the change in
its potential energy is

"
∆𝑈 = 𝑈" − 𝑈# = −𝑞! . 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗
#

Because the force 𝑞! 𝐸"⃗ is conservative, this line integral does not depend on the
path taken from A to B.

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2- Potential Difference

The ratio of potential energy difference between two points to the test charge
gives the potential difference between two points.

" "
∆𝑈
∆𝑉 = = − . 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗ ⇒ 𝑉" − 𝑉# = − . 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗
𝑞! # #

Thus the potential energy difference is given in terms of potential difference as

∆𝑈 = 𝑞! ∆𝑉

The electrical potential at point B with respect to A.

"
𝑉" = − . 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗ + 𝑉#
#

That is, the electric potential at point A is taken as reference point. The point A
is taken as a point at which the potential is zero (the electrical potential at
infinity is zero). Then the electrical potential of a point with respect to infinity
(ground) is

𝑉 = − . 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗

The integral of the electric field with respect to position gives the electric
potential. The potential difference between A and B depends only on the source
charge distribution (consider points A and B without the presence of the test
charge), while the difference in potential energy exists only if a test charge is
moved between the points. Electric potential is a scalar characteristic of an
electric field, independent of any charges that may be placed in the field.

The potential energy is a scalar. If we differentiate both sides of above

equation we get

𝑑𝑉 𝑑 𝑑𝑉
= − . 𝐸𝑑𝑟 ⇒ 𝐸 = −
𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟

The derivative of the electric potential gives the electric field. In order to
create an electric field between two points one has to change the potential
between these two points.

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Consider a point charge (qo) is moved

from a point A to B in a uniform
electric field. The change in its
electric potential.

Then the potential difference is given as

" "
∆𝑉 = − . 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗ = −𝐸"⃗ ∙ . 𝑑𝑟⃗ = −𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑⃗ = −𝐸𝑑𝑐𝑜𝑠0 = −𝐸𝑑
# #

The change in the potential energy of qo is given as

∆𝑈 = 𝑞$ ∆𝑉 = −𝑞$ 𝐸𝑑

The minus sign means that a positive charge loses electric potential energy when
the charge moves in the direction of the field.

The potential difference between two

plates is

∆𝑉 = −𝐸𝑑

3- Eectric Potential and potential energy of Point Charges

Let’s consider an isolated positive point

charge q which produces an electric field
that is directed radially outward from the
charge.
𝑞
𝐸"⃗ = 𝑘 𝑟̂
𝑟%

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Suppose that a test charge is moving from A to B by several infinitesimal

displacements 𝑑𝑠⃗. For only one displacement (𝑑𝑠⃗),the work done by the electric
field on the charge is
𝐹⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑠⃗ = 𝑞! 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑠⃗

For a finite displacement of the charge from point A to point B, the change in
potential energy of the system

"
∆𝑈 = −𝑞! . 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑠⃗
#

"
Because the force q0E is conservative, this line integral ∫# 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑠⃗ does not depend
on the path taken from A to B. Thus, the potential difference between A and B is

" &! &!

∆𝑈 𝑞 𝑞
∆𝑉 = 𝑉" − 𝑉# = = − . 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑠⃗ = − . 𝑘 % 𝑟̂ ∙ 𝑑𝑠⃗ = − . 𝑘 % 1 𝑑𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑞! # &" 𝑟 &" 𝑟

where A and B are the two arbitrary points. From the figure we see that

𝑑𝑟
𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = ⇒ 𝑑𝑟 = 𝑑𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝑑𝑠
Thus we get
&!
𝑞 1 1
∆𝑉 = 𝑉" − 𝑉# = − . 𝑘 𝑑𝑟 = 𝑘𝑞 > − ?
&" 𝑟% 𝑟" 𝑟#

The electric potential at infinity is zero (V¥= 0). If the point A is chosen at
infinity, then we find the electric potential at point B as

1 1 𝑞
𝑉" − 𝑉¥ = 𝑘𝑞 > − ? ⇒ 𝑉" = 𝑘
𝑟" ¥ 𝑟"

In general, the electric potential due to a point charge (q) at distance r is given
as
𝑞
𝑉=𝑘
𝑟

The electric potential is a scalar characteristic of an electric field, independent

of any charges that may be placed in the field.

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The electric potential due to a group of charges is simply found by adding the
electric potentials due to all charges

𝑞'
𝑉 = 𝑘 @
𝑟'
'

Note that the sign of the charge has

to be used directly in the equation

If a point charge (q0) is placed at point P, then the potential energy of this
charge is
𝑞! 𝑞'
𝑈(# = 𝑞! 𝑉) = 𝑘 @
𝑟'
'

where VP is the electric potential created by all charges except q0 at point P.

The total potential energy of a group of charges is

𝑞' 𝑞+
𝑈* = 𝑘 @
𝑟'+
',+

4- Electric Potential of a Uniformly Charged Solid Object

The electric potential due to a continuous charge

distribution in two ways:

1- If the charge distribution is known, we can start

with electric potential for a small charge element
dq
𝑑𝑞
𝑑𝑉 = 𝑘
𝑟

where r is the distance from the charge element to

point P.

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To obtain the total potential at point P, we then integrate this equation to

include contributions from all elements of the charge distribution.

𝑑𝑞
𝑉 = 𝑘&
𝑟

Note that this expression for V uses a particular reference: the electric
potential is taken to be zero when point P is infinitely far from the charge
distribution.

2- If the electric field is already known from other considerations, such as

Gauss’s law, we can calculate the electric potential due to a continuous charge
distribution using
𝑉 = − . 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝑟⃗

If the charge distribution has sufficient symmetry, we first evaluate E at any

point using Gauss’s law and then substitute the value obtained into above
equation to determine the potential difference ∆V between any two points. We
then choose the electric potential V to be zero at some convenient point.

Example
A proton is released from rest in a uniform electric
field that has a magnitude of 8x104 V/m. The
distance between two plates is 0.5 m

a- Find the potential difference between two plates

a- Find the change in potential energy of the
proton–field system for this displacement.
b- Find the speed of the proton after displacement
of 0.5 m
.
a- Because the electric field between two plates is constant the potential
difference is
∆𝑉 = −𝐸𝑑 = −8𝑥10- ∙ 0.5 = −4𝑥10- 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡

b- The change in potential energy of proton is

∆𝑈 = 𝑒∆𝑉 = −4𝑥10- ∙ 1.6𝑥10./0 = −6.4𝑥10./- 𝐽𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑒

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c- The speed of proton.

Because the system is isolated the mechanical energy is conserved.

1
∆𝐾 + ∆𝑈 = 0 ⇒ M 𝑚𝑣 % − 0Q + 𝑒∆𝑉 = 0 = −6.4𝑥10./- 𝐽𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑒
2

1
𝑚𝑣 % = −𝑒∆𝑉 ⇒ 𝑣 = 2.8𝑥101 𝑚/𝑠
2
Example:
Two charges q1 = 2 µC and q2 = -6 µC are located at

positions as shown.

a- Find the total electric potential due to these

charges at the point P.

b- Fid the work done by moving a charge of q3=3

µC from infinity to P.

c- Find the total potential energy of the system

for the given location.

a- The electric potential at P

𝑞/ 𝑞% 2𝑥10.1 −6𝑥10.1
𝑉) = 𝑘 > + ? = 9𝑥100 T + U = −6.29𝑥102 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡
𝑟/ 𝑟% 4 5

b- ∆𝑊 = 𝑞2 ∆𝑉 = 𝑞2 (𝑉3 − 𝑉4 ) = 3x10.1 ∙ (−6.29𝑥102 ) = −1.89𝑥10.% 𝐽𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑒

c- The total potential energy

𝑞/ 𝑞% 𝑞/ 𝑞2 𝑞% 𝑞2
𝑉) = 𝑘 > + + ?
𝑟/% 𝑟/2 𝑟%2

2𝑥10.1 ∙ (−6𝑥10.1 ) 2𝑥10.1 ∙ 3𝑥10.1 (−6𝑥10.1 ) ∙ 3𝑥10.1

= 9𝑥100 T + + U
3 4 5

= −5.28𝑥10.% 𝐽𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑒

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Example: Electric Potential of a Uniformly Charged Ring:

a- Find an expression for the electric

potential at a point P located on the
perpendicular central axis of a
uniformly charged ring of radius a
and total charge Q.

b- Find an expression for the magnitude

of the electric field at point P.

a- Because the ring is oriented so that its plane is perpendicular to the x axis
and its center is at the origin, the distance from all dq elements to P is
constant. The electric potential of a solid object with uniform charge is

𝑑𝑞 𝑑𝑞 1 𝑄
𝑉 = 𝑘& = 𝑘& =𝑘 & 𝑑𝑞 = 𝑘
𝑟 ((𝑥 ! + 𝑎! ) ((𝑥 ! + 𝑎! ) ((𝑥 ! + 𝑎! )

b- If the electric potential is known, the electric field is then

𝑑𝑉 𝑑 𝑄 𝑑 2
𝐸=− = − Y𝑘 [ = −𝑘𝑄 (𝑥 + 𝑎2 ).//%
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 Z(𝑥2 + 𝑎2 ) 𝑑𝑥

1 2 𝑄𝑥
𝐸 = 𝑘𝑄 >− (𝑥2 + 𝑎2 ).% (2𝑥)? = 𝑘 2
2 ( 𝑥2 + 𝑎2 )%

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Example: Electric Potential Due to a Uniformly Charged Disk

A uniformly charged disk has

radius a and surface charge
density s.
a- Find the electric potential
along the perpendicular central
axis of the disk.
b- Find the magnitude of the
electric field at the same point.

a- The point P is at a distance x from the center of the disk and the plane of

the disk taken to be perpendicular to the x axis. We shall divide the disk to

several segments of dq charge elements. The geometry of charge element

must be appropriate to geometry of disk. The best charge element may be a

charged ring of infinitesimal width dr.

𝑑𝑞 𝑑𝑞
𝑉 = 𝑘. 6
= 𝑘.
𝑟 Z(𝑥 % + 𝑟 % )
The charge element dq is given as
𝑑𝑞 = 𝜎 ∙ 2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟

7
𝜎2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟
𝑉 = 𝑘.
! Z(𝑥 % + 𝑟 % )

𝑢% = 𝑥 % + 𝑟 % ⟹ 2𝑢𝑑𝑢 = 2𝑟𝑑𝑟

2𝑢𝑑𝑢 7
𝑉 = 𝑘𝜎𝜋 . = 2𝜋𝑘𝜎𝑢 = 2𝜋𝑘𝜎 Z𝑥 % + 𝑟 % ` = 2𝜋𝑘𝜎 aZ𝑥 % + 𝑎% − 𝑥`
𝑢 !

b- The derivative of the electric potential gives the electric field.

𝑑𝑉 𝑑 𝑥
𝐸=− = − c2𝜋𝑘𝜎 aZ𝑥 % + 𝑎% − 𝑥`d = −2𝜋𝑘𝜎 M1 − Q
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑥 √𝑥 % + 𝑎%

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Example: Electric Potential Due to a Finite Line of Charge

A rod of length l located along the x axis has a

total charge Q and a uniform linear charge density

λ=Q/l. Find the electric potential at a point P

located on the y axis a distance a from the origin

The charge element is given as

𝑑𝑞 = 𝜆𝑑𝑥

8
𝑑𝑞 𝜆𝑑𝑥 8
𝑉 = 𝑘. = 𝑘. = 𝑘𝜆 ln a𝑥 + Z(𝑥 % + 𝑎% )`
𝑟 Z(𝑥 % + 𝑎% ) !
!

𝑙 + Z(𝑙 % + 𝑎% )
𝑉 = 𝑘𝜆 ln i j
𝑎

Example: Electric Potential Due to a Uniformly Charged Sphere

An insulating solid sphere of radius R has a

uniform positive volume charge density and total

charge Q.

Find the electric potentials at points B, C and D

HINT: If it is possible to use Gauss Law for a system, then it is the best way to

calculate the electric field first and then integrate the field to get the electric

potential.

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∑ 𝑞'9 𝑄 𝑄
k 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝐴⃗ = ⇒ 𝐸 . 𝑑𝐴 𝑐𝑜𝑠0 = ⇒ 𝐸 4𝜋𝑟 % =
𝜀! 𝜀! 𝜀!
1 𝑄 𝑄 𝑄
𝐸= %=𝑘 %⇒𝐸=𝑘 %
4𝜋𝜀! 𝑟 𝑟 𝑟
& &
𝑄
𝑉" − 𝑉4 = − . 𝐸𝑑𝑟 = − . 𝑘 𝑑𝑟
𝑟%
4 4

1& 𝑄
𝑉" − 0 = −𝑘𝑄 >− ? ⟹ 𝑉" = 𝑘
𝑟 4 𝑟
The potential at point C is
𝑄
𝑉: = 𝑘
𝑎

In this case we select a spherical Gaussian

surface having radius r <a.

! !
The charge density ρ = =!
" #$"
"

The charge inside the Gauss surface is

𝑄 4 2 𝑄𝑟 2
@ 𝑞'9 = 𝜌𝑉;7<== = 𝜋𝑟 = 2
4 2 3 𝑎
𝜋𝑎
3

∑ 𝑞'9 ∑ 𝑞'9 ∑ 𝑞'9

k 𝐸"⃗ ∙ 𝑑𝐴⃗ = ⇒ 𝐸 . 𝑑𝐴 𝑐𝑜𝑠0 = ⟹ 𝐸 4𝜋𝑟 % =
𝜀! 𝜀! 𝜀!

𝑄𝑟 2
1 ∑ 𝑞'9 2 𝑄𝑟 𝑄𝑟
𝐸= % = 𝑘 𝑎% = 𝑘 2 ⇒ 𝐸 = 𝑘 2
4𝜋𝜀! 𝑟 𝑟 𝑎 𝑎

& &
𝑄𝑟
𝑉> − 𝑉? = − . 𝐸𝑑𝑟 = − . 𝑘 𝑑𝑟
𝑎3
7 7

&
𝑄 𝑄 𝑟% 𝑄 % %]
𝑄 𝑟%
[
𝑉> − 𝑘 = −𝑘 2 T U = 𝑘 2 𝑎 − 𝑟 ⟹ 𝑉> = 𝑘 T3 − % U
𝑎 𝑎 2 7 2𝑎 2𝑎 𝑎

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Special Hint: The Electric Field of a Conducting Sphere:

A solid conductor in equilibrium carries a net

charge, the charge resides on the outer
surface of the conductor. The excess charge
on a conducting sphere of radius R is
uniformly distributed on its surface

The surface of any charged conductor in

electrostatic equilibrium is an equipotential

surface. Furthermore, because the electric

field is zero inside the conductor, we

conclude that the electric potential

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