Potential Difference

• Change in potential energy due to gravity

  • Force of gravity is conservative

  • W = mgh₀ - mgh_f = PE₀ - PE_f

• Change in potential energy due to electrial force

  • Electrical force is conservative​

  • W = PE₀ - PE_f​

Electrical Potential Evergy vs. Electric Potential

Electric Potential Differnce

Charge

• Electric potential difference and charge signs

  • Positive charge

    • Moves from higher electrical potential toward lower electrical potential

  • Negative charge

    • Moves from lower to higher electrical potential ​

• Even though it is the negative electrons that actually move, tradition says we talk about moving positive charges.

• Positive charges are repelled by the positive terminal

• Moves through a light bulb and energy is converted to heat

• By the time the positive charge reaches the negative ​terminal, it has no potential energy left

Batteries

Volts and energy