Advanced Placement Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism with calculus applications.
Electric potential tells you how much potential energy a unit charge would have at a point in space. It’s measured in volts (V).
The potential difference between two points is the work needed to move a charge between them:
\[ V = - \int \vec{E} \cdot d\vec{l} \]
The potential energy \( U \) of a charge \( q \) at potential \( V \) is
\[ U = qV \]
Equipotential surfaces are places where the electric potential is the same. No work is needed to move a charge along these surfaces.
Electric potential differences are what drive current in circuits—your phone wouldn’t charge without them!
Calculating the voltage between two points near a charged plate.
Finding the energy needed to move an electron in a circuit.
Electric potential describes how much energy a charge has due to its position in an electric field.