Electrostatic potential from the perspective of an electron

[cliowa]

Thinking in terms of electric circuits and electrostatic potential I understand how an electric current arises as manifestation of a difference in potential. How does this work at a more microscopic level? I.e. how does an electron know what potential it's environment is at?

E.g.: If I, standing on the earth, connect myself to a power plug, the electron in the wire just inside the wall will run through me. If I stand on some insulating material however, the electron will not. How precise is this? I.e. will there be virtually not a single electron penetrating my skin?

If a bird sits on a power line he "takes over" the potential of the power line (thereby avoiding any current through his body), right? Does this have any implications on a physiological level?

Looking forward to your thoughts...Cliowa

 

[jtbell]

An electron doesn't "feel" the electric potential at a point, any more than you "feel" the gravitational potential at the location where you're standing. That is, you don't "feel" any different standing on the first floor of a building than on the second floor, even though the second floor is at a higher graviational potential.

What the electron actually "feels" is the electric field E that acts on it, which is the gradient of the electric potential. The electric field produces the force which makes the electron move, via F = qE.

Inside a uniform wire with a fixed potential difference between its ends, the electric potential decreases steadily as you move from one end to the other, i.e. the gradient of the potential is uniform, and so is the electric field.

 

[cliowa]

I agree completely. What puzzles me is rather the way the electrostatic potential can be "acquired" through contact. Example: A bird that first sat on some tree (which has the same potential as the earth) and then flies off to a power line, where he (suddenly?) "acquires" the potential of the power line.

Again: Is is really true that not a single electron from the power plug will penetrate my skin if I stand on some completely insulating material?

 

[Gigasoft]

No, by touching a wire, a current will flow into you until you are at the same potential as the wire. At this point, the charge that you have acquired is equal to your capacitance times the voltage. With a wire at thousands of volts, you will therefore feel a jolt. It can seen that it is hazardous to touch a high voltage AC wire, since the current will never stop.

 

[sardar]

As an electron, my perspective on electrostatic potential is very different from that of a human. I do not have a conscious understanding of the concept of potential, but my behavior is still governed by it. At a microscopic level, the potential is related to the electric field in my surroundings. This electric field exerts a force on me, causing me to move in a certain direction.

To answer your question about how I know the potential of my environment, it is important to understand that I am constantly interacting with other charged particles and fields. These interactions allow me to sense the electric field and determine the potential of my surroundings. Just like how you can feel the warmth of the sun without consciously knowing the temperature, I can feel the electric field without consciously knowing the potential.

In terms of your example of standing on insulating material, the precision of whether an electron will penetrate your skin or not depends on the properties of the material and the strength of the electric field. Insulating materials have a higher resistance to electric fields, so the electrons are less likely to pass through. However, if the electric field is strong enough, some electrons may still be able to pass through the material.

Regarding the bird sitting on a power line, you are correct that the bird takes on the potential of the power line, thereby avoiding any current through its body. This is because the bird is a conductor, so it allows the electric field to pass through it without any resistance. This does not have any implications on a physiological level for the bird, as the current is not passing through its body.

Overall, as an electron, I do not have a conscious understanding of electrostatic potential, but it still plays a crucial role in my behavior and interactions with other particles. It is a fundamental concept in the world of electricity and plays a vital role in the functioning of electric circuits.