Question
Question: Define electric potential....
Define electric potential.
Solution
Electric charge is a property of matter which governs how the particles are going to be affected by a magnetic field or electric field.
Complete step by step answer:
You know in electricity the potential has great use so let’s define it,
Consider a point charge q placed in a space it creates an electric field around this charge and the effect of this field can be felt at infinity. Now, you move a unit of charge in this field then you have to do work to move this unit charge. The amount of work done to move this charge in the electric field without acceleration is called the electric potential. Denoted by symbol V.
Mathematically,
V=krq
Where, q is the charge creating the electric field, is the distance we move the particle in the field and k is the Coulomb constant.
The SI unit of V is volt.
The dimension of V is ML2T−3I−1 .
Additional information:
Electric potential energy: this is defined as the amount of work required to bring them close together from the infinity to form a system of charges.
Mathematically, the electric potential energy UE of one point charge q is the total work done to bring this charge from a reference point rref to the position r against the electric field E.
That is,
UE(r)=−Wref→r
i.e.
UE(r)=−∫rrefrqE(r)dr
Where, dr is the displacement vector in a curveref→r.
It is also defined in terms of electric potential as,
UE(r)=qV(r)
Note: This electric potential is responsible for the current flow in the circuit. If there is potential difference in two points of a circuit then current flows and if they are at same potential then no current flows through the circuit.