Calculate Electric Potential Energy of Equilateral Triangle

Calculate Electric Potential Energy Of Equilateral Triangle

Electric Potential Energy Formula:

\[ PE = \frac{k \cdot q_1 \cdot q_2}{r} + \frac{k \cdot q_1 \cdot q_3}{r} + \frac{k \cdot q_2 \cdot q_3}{r} \]

Charge 1 (q1):

Charge 2 (q2):

Charge 3 (q3):

Side Length (r):

Electric Potential Energy (PE):

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1. What is Electric Potential Energy?

Electric potential energy is the energy stored in a system of charged particles due to their positions relative to each other. For three charges arranged in an equilateral triangle, the total potential energy is the sum of the potential energies between each pair of charges.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the electric potential energy formula:

\[ PE = \frac{k \cdot q_1 \cdot q_2}{r} + \frac{k \cdot q_1 \cdot q_3}{r} + \frac{k \cdot q_2 \cdot q_3}{r} \]

Where:

\( PE \) — Electric potential energy (J)
\( k \) — Coulomb's constant (8.99 × 10⁹ N·m²/C²)
\( q_1, q_2, q_3 \) — Electric charges (C)
\( r \) — Side length of equilateral triangle (m)

Explanation: The formula calculates the total potential energy by summing the potential energy contributions from each pair of charges in the triangular configuration.

3. Importance of Electric Potential Energy Calculation

Details: Calculating electric potential energy is crucial for understanding electrostatic systems, predicting charge behavior, and analyzing stability in charged particle configurations.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter all three charge values in coulombs and the side length in meters. Side length must be greater than zero. The calculator supports both positive and negative charge values.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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 electrostatic force between two charges to their magnitudes and distance.

Q2: Can charges be negative?
A: Yes, charges can be positive or negative. Negative charges will result in negative potential energy contributions, indicating attractive forces.

Q3: Why equilateral triangle configuration?
A: The equilateral triangle configuration ensures equal distances between all charge pairs, simplifying the calculation while maintaining geometric symmetry.

Q4: What units should I use?
A: Use coulombs (C) for charges and meters (m) for distance. The result will be in joules (J).

Q5: Does this work for non-equilateral triangles?
A: No, this specific formula is for equilateral triangles where all sides are equal. For other configurations, individual distance terms would be needed for each charge pair.