60,000+ students trusted us with their dreams. Take the first step today!
One app for all your study abroad needs
Answer: The main difference between electric potential and electric potential energy is that electric potential (V) is the amount of potential energy per unit charge (U/q) at a specific point in an electric field, representing the work needed to bring a unit positive charge from infinity to that point. It’s a scalar quantity and a property of the electric field itself. Electric potential energy (U), conversely, is the actual energy a specific charged object (q) possesses due to its position in that electric field, representing the work done to bring that specific charge from infinity to that point. It is also a scalar quantity, but it depends on the magnitude and sign of the charge.
Complete Answer:
Electric potential is like the steepness of a hill, it tells you how strong the “push” is at a point for any electric charge. It’s the same for all charges at that spot. Electric potential energy, on the other hand, is the actual energy a specific charge has because it’s sitting at that spot on the hill. A bigger charge (like a heavier ball) will have more potential energy than a smaller one at the same place because it took more effort to place it there, or it can do more work if released.
Let’s understand the important difference between electric potential and electric potential energy:
| Electric Potential | Electric Potential Energy |
| It is the energy per unit charge at a point in an electric field. | It is the total energy a specific charge has due to its position in an electric field. |
| Same for all charges at the same point. | Changes with the amount (size) of the charge placed at that point. |
| Formula: V = U/q where: V = Electric potential (in volts), U = Electric potential energy (in joules), and q = Charge (in coulombs) | Formula: U = q×V where: U = Electric potential energy (in joules), q = Charge (in coulombs), and V = Electric potential (in volts) |
| SI Unit: Volt (V) | SI Unit: Joule (J) |
| Describes the “push” or potential energy available for 1 coulomb of charge. | Tells how much actual energy is stored in a charge due to its location. |
| Does not depend on the value of the test charge. | Depends on both the electric potential and the size of the charge. |
| Scalar quantity (has only magnitude, no direction). | Scalar quantity (also has only magnitude, no direction). |
| Created by a source charge (like a battery or charged object). | Exists only when a charge is placed in the electric potential created by a source. |
| Helps us know how much energy per coulomb is available at a point. | Helps us calculate how much energy a full charge has at that point. |
| Like the height of a hill, same for everyone standing there. | Like the energy a person (heavy or light) has standing on the hill, it varies by weight. |
| Measured using a voltmeter. | Not directly measured; it is calculated using a formula. |
| Used to compare different points in an electric field. | Used to find how much work is done or can be done by a charge. |
Common Physics Doubts:
