Electric field lines between 20/30 V point charges vs. 10/0 V

In summary, the conversation discusses the appearance of electric field lines and equipotential lines between point charges with different potentials. It is mentioned that only the difference in voltage is important, but the convention about voltage at infinitely far away is also important. There is also a question about the potential of a point charge, which is clarified to depend on the charge and distance from the charge.
  • #1
miaou5
13
0

Homework Statement



What would the electric field lines / equipotential lines look like between point charges that are set up with potentials of 20 volts and 30 volts versus point charges that are set up with potentials of 0 volts and 10 volts?

The Attempt at a Solution



At first I thought the electric field lines would look different, but the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like they would be the same, since only the difference in V counts as opposed to the "absolute" values of V. Is this correct? Thank you all so much!

Added question: I completely forgot about this, but would the lines extend from the 10 V charge toward the 0 V? I know the lines go from the positive charge from the negative charge, so I'm pretty sure they would go from the higher V to the lower V, but I just wanted to make sure. Thank you!
 
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  • #2
It is true that only difference of voltage is important but remember the convention about voltage at infinitely far away. This is important for this problem.
 
  • #3
Thank you so much!
 
  • #4
hehe. no problem!
 
  • #5
What is a point charge set up with a potential of 20 V ? :confused:

Since the potential due to a point charge is

[tex] \frac {1}{4 \pi \epsilon_0} \frac {Q}{r} [/tex]

the potential near a point charge will become infinite for any non-zero charge.
If the point charge is merely a very small sphere, you still need to know the radius to get the charge from the potential.
 

FAQ: Electric field lines between 20/30 V point charges vs. 10/0 V

What is an electric field?

An electric field is a physical quantity that describes the force experienced by a charged particle at any given point in space. It is created by the presence of electric charges and can be either attractive or repulsive.

What are electric field lines?

Electric field lines are imaginary lines used to represent the direction and strength of an electric field. They are drawn such that their direction is the same as the direction of the electric force on a positive test charge placed in the field.

How do electric field lines differ between 20/30 V point charges and 10/0 V point charges?

The electric field lines between two point charges with different voltages will have different shapes and densities. For example, the electric field lines between two point charges with a 20/30 V potential will be more concentrated and closer together compared to the field lines between two point charges with a 10/0 V potential.

What is the significance of the voltage in determining the electric field lines?

The voltage, or potential difference, between two point charges determines the strength of the electric field and thus the density and shape of the electric field lines. A higher voltage will result in a stronger electric field and more closely spaced field lines.

Can electric field lines between point charges be manipulated?

No, electric field lines are a fundamental property of electric fields and cannot be manipulated. They are determined by the charges and their respective voltages and cannot be altered or controlled by external factors.

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