Physics › Section N · Electric potential and capacitance › Topic N.3
Potential of a point charge and equipotentials
Around a single charge the potential is not uniform: it rises or falls steeply close in and fades away far out. Mapping it with lines of equal potential, like contour lines on a hiking map, shows at a glance where the field is strong and which way it points.
In this topic
- Beyond parallel plates
- The potential of a point charge
- Potential versus field
- Worked example: near a charged sphere
- Worked example: two charges
- Equipotential lines and surfaces
- Why they cross field lines at right angles
- Patterns worth knowing
- Worked example: work between equipotentials
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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