Class 12 Physics — Chapter 2: ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL AND CAPACITANCE

What you'll learn

• ▸Electrostatic Potential Energy
• ▸Electrostatic Potential and Potential Difference
• ▸Potential due to a Point Charge
• ▸Conservative Nature of Electrostatic Force
• ▸Potential due to an Electric Dipole
• ▸Comparison of Electric Field and Potential

Chapter Summary

--- PAGE 1 --- Chapter Two ELECTROSTATIC POTENTIAL AND CAPACITANCE NCERT republished 2.1 INTRODUCTION In Chapters 5 and 7 (Class XI), the notion of potential energy was introduced. When an external force does work in taking a body from a point to another against a force like spring force or gravitational force, that work gets stored as potential energy of the body. When the external force is removed, the body moves, gaining kinetic energy and losing an equal amount of potential energy. The sum of kinetic and potential energies is thus conserved. Forces of this kind are called conservative forces. Spring force and gravitational force are examples of conservative forces. Coulomb force between two (stationary) charges is also a conservative force. This is not surprising, since both have inverse-square dependence on distance and differ mainly in the proportionality constants – the masses in the gravitational law are replaced by charges in Coulomb’s law. Thus, like the potential energy o…

Practice Questions from this Chapter

Tap "Get Solution" on any question to ask our AI tutor.

1. Explain potential energy simply. Get Solution →
2. Show real-world electric potential uses. Get Solution →
3. Describe how batteries generate power. Get Solution →
4. According to the text, what kind of force is the Coulomb force between two stationary charges? Get Solution →
5. What value is conveniently chosen for the electrostatic potential energy at infinity? Get Solution →
6. The work done by an electrostatic field in moving a charge from one point to another is independent of what? Get Solution →
7. Electrostatic potential (V) is defined as the work done per unit of what? Get Solution →
8. For a single positive point charge Q, how does the electrostatic potential V vary with distance r? Get Solution →

Did you know?

• 💡 Lightning bolts contain enough potential difference to power thousands of homes.
• 💡 Electric eels generate strong electric fields to navigate and hunt.
• 💡 Rubbing balloons can build up enough static charge to stick.
• 💡 The first battery was a stack of metal disks separated by salty paper.
• 💡 Your own heart beats due to electrical signals, acting like a tiny battery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Chapters