Work Done in an Electric Field

 
This is part of the HSC Physics course under the topic Charged Particles, Conductors and Electric and Magnetic Fields.

HSC Physics Syllabus

  • investigate and quantitatively derive and analyse the interaction between charged particles and uniform electric fields, including: (ACSPH083)
– work done on the charge `W=qV`, `W=qEd`, `K=1/2mv^2`

Work Done on Charges in an Uniform Electric Field

This video analyses and quantitatively derives the work done to charged particles as they interact with a uniform electric field. This video assumes pre-requisite knowledge from Year 11 Physics Module 4: Electricity and Magnetism.

 

 

For a more detailed explanation on work done on charges and electric potential energy, click here.

    Practice Question

    An electron travelling at 50 m/s enters a uniform electric field created by a pair of parallel metal plates connected to a potential difference of 7 V.

     

     
     
    (a) Calculate the electric field strength.

    (b) Calculate the acceleration experienced by the electron upon entering the electric field.

    (c) After a short while, the electron is found stationary on the surface of the positive plate. Calculate the work done to move the electron from the positive plate to the negative plate.

     

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    Next section: Charged Particles in Magnetic Fields

     

    BACK TO MODULE 6: ELECTROMAGNETISM