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Lesson: Electric Field Equipotential Lines Physics

In this lesson, we will learn how to identify equipotential lines of electric fields and their relations to changes of energy of particles in such fields.

Lesson Plan

Students will be able to

define an electric field equipotential line as a path that a charged object can move along within an electric field without any work being done on or by the object,
recognize the equipotential lines of the electric field of a point charge,
compare the changes in the energy of a charged particle that would occur for the particle to follow given paths in dipole electric fields,
describe equipotential lines for arbitrary electric fields qualitatively.

Lesson Worksheet

Q1:

Two surfaces, with equal uniformly distributed total charge, are positioned parallel to each other. The center of one surface is positioned at a greater distance from the surface it faces, as shown in the diagram. Four lines are shown, and the ends of each line intersect the points a and b. Which of the lines could be an equipotential line of the electric field between the surfaces?

Q2:

The diagram shows a pair of charged plates, one of which is regularly shaped and the other is irregularly shaped and has a nonuniform charge. Some areas in the electric field between the plates are uniform and other areas are nonuniform. Which of the following sets of points are at the same potential as each other?

Q3:

An electron moves along the dashed path shown in the diagram of the electric field equipotential lines of two equal magnitude charges with opposite signs.

Is the electron’s initial kinetic energy zero or nonzero?

Does the absolute electric potential change along the path traveled by the electron?

Does the electric potential energy change along the path traveled by the electron?

Does the electron’s kinetic energy change as it travels along the path that it follows?