Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance — Chapter Summary

Electric potential at a point

Electric potential at a point is the work done to bring a unit positive charge from infinity to that point against the electric field. It is a scalar

The potential difference between two points

The potential difference between two points is the work done per unit charge to move it from one point to another. It is given by V = W/q₀ and drives

Capacitance (C) is the ability

Capacitance (C) is the ability of a system to store charge per unit potential difference, defined as C = Q/V. The SI unit is farad (F). For a parallel

When a dielectric material is placed

When a dielectric material is placed between capacitor plates, it gets polarized—positive and negative charges align slightly, creating an internal fi

When a capacitor is charged

When a capacitor is charged, energy is stored in the electric field between its plates. The energy is given by U = ½CV² = ½QV = Q²/(2C).