Introductory Physics Volume Two
Introductory Physics Volume Two
Introductory Physics Volume Two
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2.2 Equipotentials 41<br />
⊲ Problem 2.1<br />
You touch the terminals of a 9 Volt battery to your tongue. While it is<br />
touching your tongue a charge of 0.08 Coulombs passes through your<br />
tongue from one terminal to the other. How much energy is dissipated<br />
in your tongue, by the charged particles passing through it?<br />
⊲ Problem 2.2<br />
<strong>Two</strong> metal plates are held at an electric potential difference of 1000V.<br />
An electron is released from the plate that is at a lower electric potential.<br />
What is the speed of the electron when it reaches the other<br />
plate?<br />
⊲ Problem 2.3<br />
The electric field in a region is given by ⃗ E = ayî + axĵ, where a =<br />
2.0V/m 2 is a constant. What is the electric potential difference between<br />
the origin and the point x = 1.0m, y = 2.0m?<br />
⊲ Problem 2.4<br />
The electric potential in a region is given by V = axyz. What is the<br />
electric field?<br />
§ 2.2 Equipotentials<br />
Suppose that we have picked our zero for electric potential. Each<br />
point in space will now have it’s own value for electric potential. If we<br />
put a dot at every location that is at an electric potential of, say 4.3V,<br />
then the collection of all such dots will create a surface.<br />
Definition: Equipotential<br />
An equipotential is a surface on which the electric potential is constant.<br />
Below is a graph of a few equipotentials for the electric field produced<br />
by three point charges (front left is q = +1, back center is q = +2,<br />
and front right is q = −3).<br />
These 3D plots are difficult to generate and read, so often a section<br />
is cut through the surfaces, and only the cut edge of the surfaces are
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