electric potential energy
rallain | June 14, 2010Pre Reqs: Electric Field, Work-Energy, Potential Energy
If you are already familiar with the topics listed in the pre-reqs above, this will be uber-simple.
Potential energy - short version
The work-energy principle basically says:
In this most basic form, the energy is just kinetic energy (if you are not going near the speed of light). BUT...if you have a force that is conservative (meaning the work done does not depend on the path you take), then you can make it a potential energy and move it to the other side.
Warning: you can not have a force and have that force do both work AND be a…