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Electric Potential Energy Equation:
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Electric potential energy is the energy stored in a system of two charges due to their positions relative to each other. It represents the work done to bring the charges from infinity to their current positions against the electric force.
The calculator uses the electric potential energy equation:
Where:
Explanation: The equation calculates the potential energy between two point charges, which is positive for like charges (repulsion) and negative for opposite charges (attraction).
Details: Calculating electric potential energy is fundamental in electrostatics, helping understand energy storage in capacitor systems, atomic interactions, and the behavior of charged particles in electric fields.
Tips: Enter both charges in coulombs (C) and the distance in meters (m). Distance must be greater than zero. The result shows the electric potential energy in joules (J).
Q1: What is Coulomb's constant?
A: Coulomb's constant (k = 8.99 × 10⁹ N·m²/C²) is the proportionality constant in Coulomb's law that relates the electric force between charges to their magnitudes and distance.
Q2: Why can potential energy be negative?
A: Potential energy is negative when the charges are opposite (attractive force), indicating that work would be required to separate them to infinity.
Q3: How does distance affect electric potential energy?
A: Electric potential energy is inversely proportional to the distance between charges - it decreases as distance increases and vice versa.
Q4: Is this equation valid for all charge configurations?
A: This equation is specifically for point charges. For continuous charge distributions or complex configurations, integration methods are required.
Q5: What are typical charge values in practical applications?
A: In atomic physics, charges are typically on the order of electron charge (1.6 × 10⁻¹⁹ C), while in larger systems, charges can be much larger.