Simulation · Physics · Class 12
A map of electric potential
From the lesson Equipotential surfaces in Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance. Change the values and watch what happens.
A map of electric potentialPhysics · Class 12
The idea behind it
NCERT §2.6
- An equipotential surface is one on which V has the same value at every point. Moving a charge along it needs no work.
- The field is everywhere at right angles to the equipotential surface through that point; if it had a component along the surface, moving along it would take work.
- Shapes: concentric spheres around a point charge; planes at right angles to the field in a uniform field; distorted closed surfaces around a dipole or two like charges.
- Field and potential: E = −δV/δl, so the size of E is the drop in potential per unit distance taken at right angles to the equipotentials.
- E points in the direction in which V decreases fastest (the steepest fall of potential).
- Where equipotentials drawn at equal steps of V crowd together the field is strong; where they spread apart it is weak.
- In a uniform field E, two planes a distance d apart along the field differ in potential by Ed.