Also, how should I imagine potential in my mind? How should I picture it?
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2 Answers
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First, let us define electrical potential:
ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL AT A POINT IN AN ELECTRIC FIELD IS THE WORK DONE PER UNIT CHARGE IN BRINGING A SMALL TEST CHARGE FROM INFINITY TO THAT POINT IN THE ELECTRIC FIELD.
Ok so first of all potential in general, it be electrical or gravitational, is a scalar quantity BECAUSE IT IS ENERGY/CHARGE which are both scalar quantities. No direction no negative values in terms of direction.
Imagine a uniform electrical field with two plates separated by a distance d. One plate is positively charged and the other is negatively charged. Now, consider you have a positively charged ball tied to your hand right in the center of the plates. Now where will the ball try to move? Towards the negative pole of course. So the ball will exert a force to pull your hand towards the negative pole. How much energy are you using to push the ball towards the negative pole? Absolutely nothing. But the ball is moving towards that plate without any supply of energy? That is breaking the law of conservation of energy which is impossible. So we say that electrical potential energy is decreasing and being converted to kinetic energy of the charged ball.
Now consider the distance between the plates to be very large. Such that there is a point between the plates where the field is negligible. What would the electrical potential energy be due to the negative plate? Zero and thus this point is infinity where field strength is zero.
Now if you are continuing to connect the previous two paragraphs I think you will understand that as the positively charged ball goes near to the negative plate the potential energy is going below zero and going negative, not in terms of direction but in magnitude. The potential energy of the ball to go back to infinity is decreasing.
The same with positive plate. Do you need to push the positively charged ball towards the positive plate? Yes. You are providing energy to the ball because the plate repels the ball hence potential energy to go back to infinity is increasing as you push the ball towards the positive plate.
Since potential energy is situation-specific scientists developed a general quantity and formula which could be applied to any situation. hence
POTENTIAL = WORK DONE/CHARGE for electrical fields.
its just like a child has the potential to study or an athlete has the potential to break a record. Things like smartness or strength are situation specific. Potential is suitable for all situations.
I hope you find this helpful.
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$\begingroup$ My answer may have shortcomings so you may ask any questions. @Ankit $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 13, 2020 at 11:34
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Positive and negative charges attract the kinetic energy increases as the negative charge tends to move towards the positive charge.Acc to law of conservation of energy potential energy decreases as kinetic energy increases.now potential is work by charge.potential energy decreases work done decreases and thus the electric potential decreases
