Potential Energy of a system of charges
Potential Energy of a system of charges
The potential energy is characteristic of the current state of configuration and not the way how this configuration was achieved .
The potential for a system of charges is calculated as below : o
o
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Potential energy for the first charge is considered as zero which is brought from infinity to a point having no external repulsive forces ( no other charges present in the space ).
Bringing another charge will face attractive or repulsive force from the first charge and the work done to bring it from infinity to the point is stored in the form of potential energy .
Similarly , all further charges being brought from infinity will face attractive or repulsive force from all other charges present in the space .