Electric Potential Calculator Formula
Understand the math behind the electric potential calculator. Each variable explained with a worked example.
Formulas Used
Electric Potential
potential = 8.9875e9 * charge / distanceVariables
| Variable | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
charge | Charge(C) | 0.000001 |
distance | Distance from Charge(m) | 0.1 |
How It Works
Electric Potential
Electric potential (voltage) at a point is the work done per unit charge to bring a positive test charge from infinity to that point.
Formula
V = k * Q / r
Unlike electric field, potential is a scalar quantity. It can be positive or negative depending on the sign of the source charge.
Worked Example
Potential 10 cm from a 1 microcoulomb charge.
charge = 0.000001distance = 0.1
- 01V = k * Q / r
- 02V = 8.9875e9 * 1e-6 / 0.1
- 03V = 8987.5 / 0.1
- 04V = 89,875 V
Ready to run the numbers?
Open Electric Potential Calculator