Electric potential energy
Electric potential energy is the work necessary to move a test charge from infinity to a point in space in an electric field surrounding a source charge.
Electric potential energy equation
The electric potential energy for a charge at a point in space in an electric field is ...
... the amount of work necessary to bring the charge from infinitely far away to that point.
Opposite charges will have _____ potential energy, and this energy will become increasingly negative as the charges are brought _____.
negative
closer and closer together
If two charges are like charges (both positive or both negative), then the potential energy will be _____. If the charges are unlike (one positive and the other negative), then the potential energy will be _____.
positive
negative
A decrease in potential energy represents an increase in _____.
stability
Like charges will become more stable _____ because the magnitude of the electric potential energy becomes _____.
the farther apart they move
a smaller and smaller positive number
The electric potential energy of a system will increase when two like charges _____ or when two opposite charges _____. Conversely, the electric potential energy of a system will decrease when two like charges _____ or when two opposite charges _____.
move toward each other, move apart
move apart, move toward each other