Describe The Electrostatic Potential Energy Of A Charge In An Electrostatic Field ?
Like the potential energy of a mass in a gravitational field we can define electrostatic potential energy of a charge in an electrostatic field. For the sake of simplicity, let us assume that electrostatic field is due to charge + Q placed at the origin. Let a small test charge + q be brought from a point A to a point B, against the repulsive force on it due to charge + Q we shall assume that the test charge +q is so small that it does not disturb the original configuration of charge + q at the origin further we assume that an external force ext applied is just sufficient to counter the repulsive electric force on the test charge q so that net force on test charge q is zero and it maces from A to B without any acceleration. In this situation, work done by external force is evasive of work done by the electric force and gets fully stored in the charge q in the form of its potential energy. On reaching B, if the external force applied on q were removed, the electric force will take the test charge + q away from source charge + Q. the strode potential energy at B is used to provide kinetic energy to the charge q in such a way that the sum of kinetic and potential energies at every point is conserved.
