Difference Between Electric Potential and Electric Field

The key difference between electric potential and electric field is that electric potential refers to the work needed to be done in order to move a unit charge from one place to another, under the influence of an electric field, whereas electric field refers to the surrounding of an electrical charge which can exert a force on other charges in the field.

The terms electric potential and electric field are useful in physical chemistry, under the subcategory of electrochemistry.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Electric Potential 
3. What is Electric Field
4. Side by Side Comparison – Electric Potential vs Electric Field in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What is Electric Potential?

Electric potential is the amount of work done when a charged particle is moved from one place to another in an electric field. Here, the charged particle is either positively charged or negatively charged. Usually, the electric potential is measured for the movement of the charged particle from a reference point to a specific point. Moreover, this movement should not accelerate the charged particle. Typically, the reference point we take is Earth.

Figure 01: Electric Potential around Two Spheres

The SI unit for the measurement of electric potential is Volt (V). This is an extensive property of substances. When determining the value of electric potential, we can do it either in a static or a dynamic electric field. The electric potential at the reference point is considered as zero. Practically, electric potential is a continuous value which is a function of space.

What is Electric Field?

Electric field is the surrounding of an electric charge unit which can exert a force on other charged particles in the field. We can abbreviate this term as E-field as well. The charged particles in the electric field can be either attracted or repelled by the central charge unit, depending on the electrical charges and their magnitude.

Figure 02: Electric Field around Two Opposite Charges

When considering the atomic scale, an electric field is responsible for the attractive force between the atomic nucleus and the electrons. This attractive force is the glue that holds the nucleus and electrons together to make up the structure of an atom. Also, these attraction forces are important in chemical bond formation. The unit of measurement for electric field is volt per meter (V/m). This unit is exactly equal to the unit Newton per coulomb (N/C) in the SI unit system.

What is the Difference Between Electric Potential and Electric Field?

The key difference between electric potential and electric field is that electric potential refers to the work need to be done in order to move a unit charge from one place to another, under the influence of an electric field, whereas electric field is the surrounding of an electrical charge which can exert a force on other charges in the field. In other words, electric potential measures the work done by an electric field, while electric field measures the force exerted on a charged particle in the field other than the central charged unit.

Below tabulation summarizes the difference between electric potential and electric field.

Summary – Electric Potential vs Electric Field

The terms electric potential and electric field are useful in physical chemistry, under the subcategory of electrochemistry. The key difference between electric potential and electric field is that electric potential refers to the work need to be done in order to move a unit charge from one place to another, under the influence of an electric field whereas electric field is the surrounding of an electrical charge which can exert a force on other charges in the field.

Reference:

1. “Electric Field.” Hyperphysics, Available here.
2. “Electric Potential.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 7 Apr. 2020, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “VFPt metal balls plusminus potential” By Geek3 – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “VFPt charges plus minus thumb” By Geek3 – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

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