Electric Potential

Things you need to know

• Conservative Force
• Work done by a force
• Work done by an external force against an existing force
• Absolute potential energy at any point and Difference in potential energy between two points
• test charge
• Electric Field
• Integration (Basic Mathematics)

Work done by an external force against existing force – such that acceleration = 0 and body is moved at infinitesimally small constant speed.

If work done by a force is negative, it is stored as potential energy. If it is positive, it releases energy by losing potential energy.

Absolute potential energy at any point can’t be calculated exactly and is of no significance. Difference in potential energy between two points is significant. (consider value alpha as absolute PE)