<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

Section summary

  • The voltage between points A and B is
    V AB = Ed E = V AB d (uniform E - field only),
    where d size 12{d} {} is the distance from A to B, or the distance between the plates.
  • In equation form, the general relationship between voltage and electric field is
    E = Δ V Δ s , size 12{E= - { {ΔV} over {Δs} } } {}
    where Δ s size 12{Δs} {} is the distance over which the change in potential, Δ V size 12{Δ`V} {} , takes place. The minus sign tells us that E size 12{E} {} points in the direction of decreasing potential.) The electric field is said to be the gradient (as in grade or slope) of the electric potential.

Conceptual questions

Discuss how potential difference and electric field strength are related. Give an example.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

What is the strength of the electric field in a region where the electric potential is constant?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Will a negative charge, initially at rest, move toward higher or lower potential? Explain why.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Problems&Exercises

Show that units of V/m and N/C for electric field strength are indeed equivalent.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

What is the strength of the electric field between two parallel conducting plates separated by 1.00 cm and having a potential difference (voltage) between them of 1 . 50 × 10 4 V size 12{1 "." "50" times "10" rSup { size 8{4} } `V} {} ?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

The electric field strength between two parallel conducting plates separated by 4.00 cm is 7 . 50 × 10 4 V/m size 12{7 "." "50"´"10" rSup { size 8{4} } " V/m"} {} . (a) What is the potential difference between the plates? (b) The plate with the lowest potential is taken to be at zero volts. What is the potential 1.00 cm from that plate (and 3.00 cm from the other)?

(a) 3 . 00 kV size 12{3 "." "00"" kV"} {}

(b) 750 V size 12{"750"" V"} {}

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

How far apart are two conducting plates that have an electric field strength of 4 . 50 × 10 3 V/m size 12{4 "." "50" times "10" rSup { size 8{3} } `"V/m"} {} between them, if their potential difference is 15.0 kV?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

(a) Will the electric field strength between two parallel conducting plates exceed the breakdown strength for air ( 3.0 × 10 6 V/m size 12{3 times "10" rSup { size 8{6} } `"V/m"} {} ) if the plates are separated by 2.00 mm and a potential difference of 5.0 × 10 3 V size 12{5 times "10" rSup { size 8{3} } `"V"} {} is applied? (b) How close together can the plates be with this applied voltage?

(a) No. The electric field strength between the plates is 2.5 × 10 6 V/m, size 12{2.5 times "10" rSup { size 8{6} } `"V/m"} {} which is lower than the breakdown strength for air ( 3.0 × 10 6 V/m size 12{3 times "10" rSup { size 8{6} } `"V/m"} {} ).

(b) 1.7 mm

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

The voltage across a membrane forming a cell wall is 80.0 mV and the membrane is 9.00 nm thick. What is the electric field strength? (The value is surprisingly large, but correct. Membranes are discussed in Capacitors and Dielectrics and Nerve Conduction—Electrocardiograms .) You may assume a uniform electric field.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Membrane walls of living cells have surprisingly large electric fields across them due to separation of ions. (Membranes are discussed in some detail in Nerve Conduction—Electrocardiograms .) What is the voltage across an 8.00 nm–thick membrane if the electric field strength across it is 5.50 MV/m? You may assume a uniform electric field.

44.0 mV

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Two parallel conducting plates are separated by 10.0 cm, and one of them is taken to be at zero volts. (a) What is the electric field strength between them, if the potential 8.00 cm from the zero volt plate (and 2.00 cm from the other) is 450 V? (b) What is the voltage between the plates?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Find the maximum potential difference between two parallel conducting plates separated by 0.500 cm of air, given the maximum sustainable electric field strength in air to be 3.0 × 10 6 V/m size 12{3 times "10" rSup { size 8{6} } `"V/m"} {} .

15 kV size 12{"15 kV"} {}

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

A doubly charged ion is accelerated to an energy of 32.0 keV by the electric field between two parallel conducting plates separated by 2.00 cm. What is the electric field strength between the plates?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

An electron is to be accelerated in a uniform electric field having a strength of 2 . 00 × 10 6 V/m size 12{2 "." "00" times "10" rSup { size 8{6} } `"V/m"} {} . (a) What energy in keV is given to the electron if it is accelerated through 0.400 m? (b) Over what distance would it have to be accelerated to increase its energy by 50.0 GeV?

(a) 800 KeV size 12{"800"" KeV"} {}

(b) 25.0 km size 12{"25" "." 0" km"} {}

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Questions & Answers

how to study physic and understand
Ewa Reply
what is conservative force with examples
Moses
what is work
Fredrick Reply
the transfer of energy by a force that causes an object to be displaced; the product of the component of the force in the direction of the displacement and the magnitude of the displacement
AI-Robot
why is it from light to gravity
Esther Reply
difference between model and theory
Esther
Is the ship moving at a constant velocity?
Kamogelo Reply
The full note of modern physics
aluet Reply
introduction to applications of nuclear physics
aluet Reply
the explanation is not in full details
Moses Reply
I need more explanation or all about kinematics
Moses
yes
zephaniah
I need more explanation or all about nuclear physics
aluet
Show that the equal masses particles emarge from collision at right angle by making explicit used of fact that momentum is a vector quantity
Muhammad Reply
yh
Isaac
A wave is described by the function D(x,t)=(1.6cm) sin[(1.2cm^-1(x+6.8cm/st] what are:a.Amplitude b. wavelength c. wave number d. frequency e. period f. velocity of speed.
Majok Reply
what is frontier of physics
Somto Reply
A body is projected upward at an angle 45° 18minutes with the horizontal with an initial speed of 40km per second. In hoe many seconds will the body reach the ground then how far from the point of projection will it strike. At what angle will the horizontal will strike
Gufraan Reply
Suppose hydrogen and oxygen are diffusing through air. A small amount of each is released simultaneously. How much time passes before the hydrogen is 1.00 s ahead of the oxygen? Such differences in arrival times are used as an analytical tool in gas chromatography.
Ezekiel Reply
please explain
Samuel
what's the definition of physics
Mobolaji Reply
what is physics
Nangun Reply
the science concerned with describing the interactions of energy, matter, space, and time; it is especially interested in what fundamental mechanisms underlie every phenomenon
AI-Robot
what is isotopes
Nangun Reply
nuclei having the same Z and different N s
AI-Robot
Practice Key Terms 2

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, College physics. OpenStax CNX. Jul 27, 2015 Download for free at http://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11406/1.9
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'College physics' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask