Chapter 33

Electric Fields and Potential

Chapter 33• Electric field – a force field

that fills the space around every electric charge or charges

• Example:Electron

Proton

Chapter 33

• An electric field has both magnitude and direction

• Therefore, an electric field can be represented using…

VECTORS!!!

Chapter 33

• Electric Field Strength equation:

• E = F/q

• Units for E are N/C or V/m

Chapter 33

• Electric potential energy – energy a charge possesses due to its location in an electric field

Chapter 33• Electric potential – electric

potential energy per charge

• Electric potential =

electric potential energy

charge

Chapter 33• SI unit for electric PE is the JOULE.

• SI unit for charge is the COULOMB.

• SI unit for electric potential is the VOLT.

joule

• 1 volt = 1 coulomb

Chapter 33

• Electric potential is commonly called VOLTAGE.

Chapter 33

• Capacitor – a device used to store electrical energy

• EX: a Van der Graff generator

Chapter 33 Vocabulary

• Capacitor

• Electric field

• Electric potential energy

• Electric potential

• Volt

• voltage