Chapter 5.5

Question 1

What is an equipotential line? How does it relate to work?

Answer 1

• it is a line at which the potential at every point is the same
• > potential difference between any two points on this line is zero
• > on paper, it is concentric circles(circles with a common center) surrounding a source charge
• note that no work is done in moving the test charge from one point in the line to another
• > it does not depend on the pathway taken but rather if there was a change in potential difference

Question 2

What is an electric dipole?

Answer 2

• two equal and opposite charges being separated by a small distance d
• > can be transient or permanent

Question 3

What is the perpendicular bisector of the dipole

Answer 3

• it is the line that lies halfway between +q and -q
• the angle between this line and the dipole axis is 90 degrees
• > cos 90 is equal to zero
• > therefore, the electric potential at any point along this line is zero