Electric Field and Electric Potential

MEIRA KANE FALL 2025 Electric Field and Electric Potential

ELECTRIC FIELD: What is it?? Electric fields and electric potentials describe how charges interact at a distance. The electric field ( 𝐸 ⃗ E ) shows the direction and strength of force on a positive test charge, while electric potential ( 𝑉 V) represents potential energy per unit charge at a point in space.

These two quantities are closely related:

Electric field is vector (has direction).

Electric potential is scalar (has magnitude only).

The field always points in the direction of decreasing potential.

Key Definitions

Electric Field:

𝐸 ⃗ = 𝐹 ⃗ 𝑞 E = q F ​

The force per unit charge. Units: N/C N/C.

Electric Potential Energy:

U=qV

The work needed to bring a charge 𝑞 q from infinity to that point.

Electric Potential:

​

Units: J/C J/C (also known as Volts).