Electric Potential Energy

• The Coulomb force is a CONSERVATIVE force (i.e. the work done by it on a particle which moves around a closed path returning to its initial position is ZERO.)

• Therefore, a particle moving under the influence of the Coulomb force is said to have an electric potential energy defined by:

• The total energy (kinetic + electric potential) is then conserved for a charged particle moving under the influence of the Coulomb force.

http://wug.physics.uiuc.edu/courses/phys112/fall97/acts/lect06/act06c/sld001.htm

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