Applications Of Electric Fields

Front

Electric Potential Energy Noun

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[uh-lek-trik poh-ten-shuhl en-er-jee]

Back

Electric Potential Energy

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The potential energy a charged particle possesses due to its specific position within an electric field.

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Example: A positive charge has high electric potential energy when near other positive charges and low potential energy when near negative charges, naturally moving between them.

Front

Electric Field Noun

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[uh-lek-trik feeld]

Back

Electric Field

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A region of space surrounding a charged object where its electric force is exerted on other charged objects.

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Example: An electric field is a region around charged particles. This animation shows the field lines pointing away from a positive charge toward a negative charge.

Front

Electric Potential Difference Noun

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[uh-lek-trik poh-ten-shuhl dif-er-uhns]

Back

Electric Potential Difference

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The work done per unit charge to move a positive test charge from one point to another in an electric field.

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Example: This diagram shows a simple circuit where the electric potential is higher before the bulb and lower after, demonstrating the potential difference required to light it up.

Front

Work Noun

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[wurk]

Back

Work

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The energy transferred to or from an object when a force is applied, causing displacement in the force's direction.

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Example: This image shows mechanical work, where a person applies a force to push a crate over a distance, but it does not illustrate work done by an electric field.

Front

Volt Noun

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[vohlt]

Back

Volt

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The standard unit of electric potential difference, defined as one joule of work done per coulomb of charge.

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Example: This diagram shows how a pump creates water pressure by lifting water to a higher reservoir. This height difference is like voltage, which is the 'electrical pressure' that pushes charges.

Front

Voltage Noun

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[vohl-tij]

Back

Voltage

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A common term for electric potential difference, representing the electric pressure that causes charge to flow through a conductor.

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Example: Applying voltage across a conductor creates an electric field, causing free electrons to move in an organized direction from negative to positive, creating current.

Front

Voltmeter Noun

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[vohlt-mee-ter]

Back

Voltmeter

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An instrument used to measure the electric potential difference, or voltage, between two points in an electrical circuit.

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Example: This diagram shows a voltmeter correctly connected in parallel with a resistor to measure the voltage, or electrical potential difference, across it.

Front

Equipotential Noun

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[ee-kwi-poh-ten-shuhl]

Back

Equipotential

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A state or region in space where the electric potential difference between any two or more positions is zero.

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Example: Around a positive charge, the concentric circles are equipotential lines, meaning the electric potential (voltage) is the same everywhere on each individual circle.

Front

Uniform Electric Field Noun

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[yoo-nuh-fawrm uh-lek-trik feeld]

Back

Uniform Electric Field

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An electric field where the strength and direction are the same at all points, typically between parallel charged plates.

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Example: This diagram shows a uniform electric field created between two parallel plates. The field lines (arrows) are straight, parallel, and evenly spaced, pointing from the positive (+) plate to the negative (-) plate.

Front

Elementary Charge Noun

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[el-uh-men-tuh-ree chahrj]

Back

Elementary Charge

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The smallest indivisible unit of electric charge that can exist freely, equal to the charge of a single proton.

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Example: This diagram shows an atom's structure, highlighting the electron (-) and proton (+), the particles that carry the smallest possible unit of electric charge.