Electrostatic potential and capacitance

Potential energy in an external field

Electrostatic potential energy of a system of charges is expressed as:

U = U12 +U23+ +U13

Electron volt is defined as the kinetic energy gained by an electron when accelerated under
a potential difference of one volt.

Electrostatic potential energy in the system of two charges is expressed as:

U = q1 V(r1) + q2 V(r2) + 1/4πε0 (q1 q2/r12)

The electrostatic potential energy of the system can be written as:

= - (pE COS ⍬) – 1/4πε0 (q2/2a)

Electrostatic potential and potential due to a point charge

The electric potential (V) at any point in the electric field of a charge configuration is
equal to the work done to bring a unit positive charge from infinity to that point in the
electric field.

The electric potential (V) at a point is expressed as: V= 1/4πε0 (Q/r)

The electric potential V is a scalar quantity.

The SI unit for electric potential is J C-1 or V.

Potential dipole and system of charges

The electric potential (V) at a point at a distance ‘r’ from the dipole in an electric field is
expressed as:

V= 1/4πε0 (2 a q cos ⍬/r2)

The electric potential (V) at a point lying on the positive X-axis is expressed as:

V= 1/4πε0 (p/r2)

The electric potential (V) at a point lying on the negative X-axis is expressed as: V = -
1/4πε0 (p/r2)

Electric potential (V) at a point due to a system of charges is expressed as:

V= 1/4πε0 ( + + + ⋯+ )

Electric potential (V) due to a spherical shell at that point outside the shell is expressed as:
0

V(outside) = 1/4πε0 Q/r

Electric potential due to spherical shell at that point inside the shell is expressed as

V(inside) = V(on surface) = 1/4πε0 Q/R

Equipotential surfaces and potential energy

A surface on which the electric potential is the same for all the points on it is called an
equipotential surface.

The equipotetial surface at a point is always normal to the electric field at that point in the
electric field for any charge distribution.

In a uniform electric field, the electric field strength is equal to the potential change per
unit displacement normal to the equipotential surface at that point.

Electrostatic potential energy (U) stored in the system of charges is expressed as: U=
1/4πε0 (q1 q2/r)

Electrostatic potential energy

The work done on a body against a force gets stored as potential energy in the body.

When a force is inversely proportional to the square of the distance, that force is said to be
obeying the inverse square law.

The work done against gravitational force is stored as gravitational potential energy for the
mass in the gravitational field.

The work done against electrostatic force is stored as electrostatic potential energy for the
charged particle in an electric field.
The difference in electrostatic potential energy between two points in the electric field of
any arbitrary charge distribution will be equal to the work done to move a charge from one
point to another.

The work done by an external force to bring a charge ‘q0’ from infinity to a point in the
electric field of any charge distribution is equal to the electrostatic potential energy of the
charge ‘q0’ at that point.

Electrostatics of conductors

When there is no net motion of charges in a conductor it is said to be in electrostatic

equilibrium.

Some basic properties of conductors that are in electrostatic equilibrium are:

• The electric field inside a conductor is zero

• The interior of a conductor can have no excess charge in the static situation
• At the surface of a charged conductor , electric field must be normal to the surface at
every point
• Magnitude of electric field strength at the surface of a charged conductor is expressed
as: E = σ/ε0
• Electrostatic potential is constant throughout the volume of the conductor and has the
same value (as inside) on its surface.
• A cavity inside a charged conductor is electrostatically shielded
Dielectrics and polarisation

When a metallic conductor is placed in an external uniform electric field of strength E, the
electric field inside the conductor is zero.

Dielectrics are electrically non conducting materials.

A dielectric material can be made of either polar molecules or non polar molecules.

Polar molecules are those in which there always exists a separation between the average
positions of the negative and positive charges in the molecule.

A polar molecule behaves as a permanent electric dipole.

Non-polar molecules are those which do not possess a permanent electric dipole moment
like the polar molecules.

A dielectric has a net electric dipole moment due to the external electric field.

Linear isotopic dielectrics are those in which the induced dipole moment is in the direction
of the external field and is proportional to the external electric field strength.

Polarisation (P) is defined as the electric dipole moment per unit volume and is expressed
as:

P=X e E

Parallel plate capacitor

The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is expressed as: C= ε0 A/d

The capacitance of a capacitor depends on the geometry of the plates. Distance between
the plates and the dielectric medium between the plates.
The dielectric constant K of the medium is the ratio of the permittivity of the medium to
the permittivity of the free space ε0.

The capacitance of the parallel plate capacitor with a dielectric material of dielectric
constant K between the plates is expressed as: C’ =K ε0A/d

By introducing a dielectric medium between the plates of the capacitor, the capacitance of
the parallel plate capacitor increases.

Capacitors and capacitance

Capacitors are devices that store electric charge.

The potential difference, which is referred to as voltage is measured in volt.

The electric field strength in the region between the plates increases as the magnitude of
the charge on each plate of the capacitor increases.

Capacitance (C) of a capacitor is its ability to store electric charge and is expressed as: C
=Q/V

The SI unit for capacitance C is CV-1 or farad.

The capacitor in which the value of capacitance can be changed is called a variable
capacitor.

When a sufficiently intense electric field is applied, the electrons of the intervening
dielectric medium are torn away from their parent atoms and the dielectric medium
behaves as a conductor. This phenomenon is called dielectric breakdown.

Dielectric strength is the maximum electric field strength that a dielectric medium can
withstand without a breakdown of its insulating property.
Combination of capacitors

The magnitude of the charge accumulated on plates of the capacitors connected in series is
the same.

When a number of capacitors are connected in series, the reciprocal of the equivalent
capacitance of the combination is equal to the sum of the reciprocals of the individual
capacitances of the capacitors.

The total charge on the capacitors connected in parallel is equal to the sum of the charge
on the individual capacitors.

When a number of capacitors are connected in parallel, the equivalent capacitance of the
combination is equal to the sum of the individual capacitances of the capacitors in the
combination.

Energy stored in a capacitor

The work done to charge a capacitor is stored as electrostatic potential energy ‘U’ in the
capacitor.

The energy supplied to the capacitor in the charging process is released when the capacitor
discharges.

The energy density is defined as energy stored per unit volume.

Energy density of a capacitor is expressed as:

Energy density = C dV2/2 A d2

Van de Graff generator

A Van de Graff generator is a device that is used to build up very high voltages of a few
million volts. This high voltage can build very strong electric fields, which can accelerate
charged particles to very high speeds and high energy levels. Generally, this apparatus is
required when conducting experiments involving the study of subatomic particles.