All Flashcards
In a diagram of electric field lines and equipotential lines, what do the blue lines represent?
Electric field lines, which indicate the direction of the force on a positive charge.
In a diagram of electric field lines and equipotential lines, what do the red lines represent?
Equipotential lines, which connect points with the same electric potential.
What is the relationship between electric field lines and equipotential lines?
Electric field lines are always perpendicular to equipotential lines.
How does the density of electric field lines relate to the strength of the electric field?
The closer the field lines, the stronger the electric field.
How does the spacing of equipotential lines relate to the strength of the electric field?
The closer the equipotential lines, the stronger the electric field.
What is the difference between electric potential energy and electric potential?
Electric potential energy is the energy a charge has due to its position in an electric field. Electric potential is the potential energy per unit charge at a point in the field.
Compare the behavior of a positive charge and a negative charge in an electric field regarding potential energy.
A positive charge loses potential energy moving with the field. A negative charge gains potential energy moving with the field.
Compare the effect of increasing potential difference on kinetic energy of electron vs proton.
Both electron and proton will gain kinetic energy, but the electron will have a much larger speed than the proton.
Compare the effect of moving with and against the electric field on the electric potential energy of a positive charge.
When moving with the electric field, the electric potential energy decreases. When moving against the electric field, the electric potential energy increases.
Compare the effect of moving with and against the electric field on the electric potential energy of a negative charge.
When moving with the electric field, the electric potential energy increases. When moving against the electric field, the electric potential energy decreases.
How do you calculate the change in electric potential energy?
Use the formula: , where is the change in electric potential energy, is the charge, and is the electric potential difference.
What happens to kinetic energy when electric potential energy increases?
Kinetic energy decreases by the same amount, conserving total energy.
What happens to kinetic energy when electric potential energy decreases?
Kinetic energy increases by the same amount, conserving total energy.
Describe the process of an electron accelerating in an electric field.
As the electron moves from a region of low potential to high potential, it loses electric potential energy, which is converted into kinetic energy, causing it to accelerate.
Describe the process of a proton slowing down in an electric field.
As the proton moves from a region of high potential to low potential, it gains electric potential energy, which is converted from kinetic energy, causing it to decelerate.