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electric potential
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Diagram showing a positive charge q placed between two parallel plates, with the lower plate labeled B containing positive signs and the upper plate labeled A containing negative signs. Vertical arrows represent the electric field E pointing from plate B to plate A, while green arrows indicate the direction of the electric force F acting upward on the positive charge. The distance between the plates is labeled d. Two line graphs compare voltage over time. The left graph shows a sharp rise to a constant voltage labeled Va, while the right graph shows a gradual, curved increase in voltage labeled Vb. Both graphs have voltage on the y-axis and time in milliseconds on the x-axis. A line graph displays a sinusoidal voltage wave described by V equals 170 cosine of 377t, with voltage on the vertical axis (ranging from -200 to 200 volts) and time in milliseconds on the horizontal axis (0 to 40 times 10 to the negative 3 seconds). Diagram of an electrode configuration inside a metal tube, showing a blue circular rod at -20 volts and a red L-shaped bracket at +20 volts, with the tube itself at zero volts. A grid of numbers on a gray background represents electrostatic potentials in volts. Central rows show red numbers at 20 volts and blue numbers at negative 20 volts, with other values decreasing outward and zeros along the edges. A diagram shows a positive charge labeled Q on the left and two dashed paths from point B to point A on the right. Path 1 goes directly from B to A, while path 2 follows a route from B to C to D to A. Both paths illustrate possible ways to move a second charge q in the presence of Q.
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Electricity: Short Circuits & Direct Currents

electric potential: References & Edit History

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  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

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Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Modified link of Web site: Physics LibreTexts - Electric Potential. Oct 01, 2026
Add new Web site: University of Central Florida Pressbooks - University Physics Volume 2 - Electric Potential and Potential Difference. Mar 20, 2026
Add new Web site: UMass Amherst Libraries Open Books - Physics 132: What is an Electron? What is Light? - Electric Potential. Sep 27, 2025
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - Electric Potential and Capacitance. Aug 14, 2025
Add new Web site: University of Rochester - Department of Physics and Astronomy - Electrical Potential (PDF). Jun 04, 2025
Add new Web site: NASA - Office of Safety and Mission Assurance - Electric Potential and Electric Field Imaging with Applications (PDF). Mar 01, 2025
Add new Web site: OpenStax - Physics - Electric Potential. Jan 02, 2025
Add new Web site: California State University Northridge - Electric Potential and Electric Potential Energy. Nov 22, 2024
Add new Web site: University of Diyala - College of Sciences - Electric Potential. Oct 11, 2024
Add new Web site: Boston University - Department of Physics - Electric energy and potential. Aug 31, 2024
Add new Web site: The University of Texas at Austin - Department of PPhysics - Electric Potential and Electric Field. Jul 05, 2024
Add new Web site: Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Electric Potential. May 23, 2024
Add new Web site: Pressbooks Create - Introduction to Physics - Electric Potential Energy and Electric Potential. Jan 25, 2024
Add new Web site: University of Saskatchewan Pressbooks - Electric Potential and Potential Difference. Nov 01, 2023
Add new Web site: Open Library Publishing Platform - Introductory Animal Physiology - Electrical Potential. Sep 17, 2023
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - Electric Potential and Capacitance. Apr 21, 2023
Add new Web site: Physics classroom - Electric potential. Jan 25, 2023
Add new Web site: Khan Academy - Electric potential. Dec 19, 2022
Add new Web site: Physics LibreTexts - Electric Potential. Sep 29, 2022
Corrected display issue. Aug 24, 2020
Changed "the Earth" to "Earth." Apr 04, 2016
Added a diagram illustrating electric potential. Apr 04, 2016
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
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