The story of the capacitor begins in the 18th century. It was a time of great scientific discovery, and among the many inventions of the era, the capacitor holds a special place. The earliest forms of capacitors were known as Leyden jars. These were simple devices consisting of water-filled glass jars. In the 1740s, European … Read more
What Is Electric Potential Energy? Electric potential energy is the form of energy that a charge has because of its position in an electric field. It is the work done by an external force to bring the charge from infinity to a certain point against the electric field. Electric potential energy depends on the charge … Read more
What Is Equipotential Surface? An equipotential surface is a surface where all points have the same electric potential. This means that no work is done in moving a charge from one point to another on the surface. In simpler terms, if you were to place a test charge at any point on an equipotential surface, it … Read more
Electric Potential Electric potential is a concept that helps us understand how electric charges interact with each other and with electric fields. Electric potential is related to the work done by or on a charge when it moves in an electric field. Electric potential is measured in volts (V), also called voltage. Mathematically, electric potential … Read more
Gauss’s Law Gauss’s Law is a fundamental principle in electromagnetism that describes the relationship between the electric field and the distribution of electric charge. Formulated by Carl Friedrich Gauss, this law provides a powerful tool for calculating electric fields, especially in cases with high symmetry. Gauss’s Law states that the total electric flux \(\displaystyle \Phi_E\) … Read more
Electric flux is a measure of the electric field passing through a given surface. It provides insight into how much electric field penetrates or crosses a specific area. The concept is particularly useful in understanding the interaction between electric fields and surfaces, such as when studying Gauss’s Law or the behavior of charged particles. Definition: … Read more
Introduction An electric dipole is a system of two equal and opposite electric charges that are separated by a small distance. An electric dipole has a property called the electric dipole moment, which is a vector that measures the magnitude and direction of the charge separation. The charges, one positive and one negative, create a … Read more
What is an Electric Field Line? Electric field lines were, introduced by Michael Faraday in the 19th century, electric field lines provide a unique and intuitive way to represent the distribution, strength, and direction of the electric field surrounding charged objects. The concept of electric field lines starts with the recognition that charged particles influence … Read more
Gravitational Field due to a Point mass Suppose a particle of mass M is placed at point O and a second particle of mass m is placed at point A. Let OA = r. The mass M creates a field \(\displaystyle \overrightarrow{E} \) at the side of mass m and this field exerts a force … Read more
The story of gravitational potential begins with the ancient Greeks. They were the first to start thinking deeply about the forces that govern the movement of objects. Aristotle, for example, believed that objects fell towards the Earth due to their nature. Fast forward to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, scholars across the world, including … Read more