A charge of -4 μC is placed in an electric field of 200 N/C. What is the potenti
Practice Questions
Q1
A charge of -4 μC is placed in an electric field of 200 N/C. What is the potential energy of the charge?
-800 μJ
800 μJ
400 μJ
0 μJ
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A charge of -4 μC is placed in an electric field of 200 N/C. What is the potential energy of the charge?
Step 1: Identify the charge value. The charge is -4 μC, which is -4 x 10^-6 C.
Step 2: Identify the electric field strength. The electric field strength is 200 N/C.
Step 3: Use the formula for potential energy (U). The formula is U = q * V, where q is the charge and V is the electric field strength.
Step 4: Substitute the values into the formula. U = -4 x 10^-6 C * 200 N/C.
Step 5: Calculate the potential energy. Multiply -4 x 10^-6 by 200 to get -800 x 10^-6 J.
Step 6: Convert the result to microjoules (μJ). -800 x 10^-6 J is equal to -800 μJ.
Electric Potential Energy – The potential energy of a charge in an electric field is calculated using the formula U = q * V, where U is potential energy, q is the charge, and V is the electric field strength.
Units of Measurement – Understanding the units involved, such as microcoulombs (μC) for charge and newtons per coulomb (N/C) for electric field strength, is crucial for accurate calculations.