Voltage

What does voltage refer to?

Differences in electric potential

True or False, electric potential refers to something called electric potential energy

False, the electric potential is just the electric potential

What is the difference between electric potential and electric potential energy?

The electric potential energy of a charged object is directly proportional to its charge, while electric potential is the electric potential energy divided by that charge

All forms of electric potential are measured in what?

Volts, or joules per coulomb

What is a rule of thumb in physics regarding measuring quantities?

If two quantities are measured in different units, they do not measure the same thing

Electric potential energy is the description of what?

A particular object

What is electric potential the description of?

The environment around it

Why did physicists come up with the concept of electrical potential?

Because it is something that can actually be measured

What does a voltmeter do?

Measures the potential difference (voltage) between two points in a circuit

Potential, or voltage, is a way of describing what?

How the electric field changes across some distance

How do we measure the strength of an electric field?

By measuring the voltage across two points

What is always true when we measure voltage?

It is a measurement of two points, not a specific point

Which terms to describe voltage can be used interchangeably?

Voltage and electrical potential

In a topographic map how would you find the route with the gentlest slope?

By finding the route where the lines are more spread out

By placing a ball on top of a hill and letting it roll down the energy that the ball gains can be given by what equation?

∆E = Wxh

In the equation ∆E = Wxh what do each variables mean?

W is the weight of the ball, h is the change in height

If h increases quickly what will also increase fast?

W

Energy change only depends on what?

Vertical distance traveled, not horizontal distance

By graphing two charged objects what lines can we draw around them?

Lines of equipotential

Anywhere along the lines of equipotential are the same what?

Electrical potential

What do the number of equipotential lines the charged particle crosses determine?

The potential and kinetic energy

The closer together the equipotential lines are what becomes stronger between them?

The electric field

A charged particle moving through many close-together lines of equipotential will experience a rapid change in what?

Speed

What equation can show the change in kinetic energy of a particle to the change in electric potential?

∆E = q x V

In the equation ∆E = q x V what does each variable represent?

V is voltage and q is charge

When compared to the equation of a ball rolling down a hill, what are each variables of ∆E = q x V analogous to?

V is analogous to height, and q is analogous to weight

If a proton is placed in the center between a positively charged plate and a negatively charged plate, what forces can we think of?

The positive plate exerting an electric repulsive force on the proton and pushing it away, and the negative plate exerting an attractive force on the proton and pulling it in