What are the advantages of using electrostatic potential?

1.	What are the advantages of using electrostatic potential?
Answer» The electrostatic potential at each point in space in the vicinity of the source charges represents a scalar field. The advantages of electrostatic potential field associated with a given distribution of charges are as follows: If we know the potential difference between any two points, we can easily obtain the change in potential energy and the work done when a charge placed in the field moves between these two points. Electric field is a vector field. Electrostatic potential being a scalar field, the potential at any point due to several charges is simply the algebraic sum of the potentials due to the individual charges. The construction of equipotential surfaces helps to visualize the electric field pattern. It is possible to calculate the electric field \(\vec E\) from the scalar potential field function V (by differentiating V with respect to the space coordinates.)

Answer»

The electrostatic potential at each point in space in the vicinity of the source charges represents a scalar field.

The advantages of electrostatic potential field associated with a given distribution of charges are as follows:

If we know the potential difference between any two points, we can easily obtain the change in potential energy and the work done when a charge placed in the field moves between these two points.
Electric field is a vector field. Electrostatic potential being a scalar field, the potential at any point due to several charges is simply the algebraic sum of the potentials due to the individual charges.
The construction of equipotential surfaces helps to visualize the electric field pattern.
It is possible to calculate the electric field \(\vec E\) from the scalar potential field function V (by differentiating V with respect to the space coordinates.)

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