Is electric potential conservative? yes.?

In summary, the conversation is discussing the concept of electric potential being conservative. The participants are debating the definition of a conservative field and its connection to electric potential. One participant argues that any single-valued scalar potential will give rise to a conservative field, while another suggests that it must also be path independent and a function of coordinate. The final conclusion is that all scalars are path independent.
  • #1
seto6
251
0
is electric potential conservative?

is it correct?
 
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  • #2
Electrostatic fields are conservative (a conservative field is one that can be represented as the gradient of some scalar potential). Electric potential is a scalar, so I'm not sure what you mean by conservative...what is a conservative scalar?
 
  • #3
yes it is a scalar so is it conservative
 
  • #4
What definiton of "conservative" are you using?
 
  • #5
gabbagabbahey said:
What definiton of "conservative" are you using?
Conservative potential is a potential that gives rise to conservative force.

Alternatively, it's one that is path independent, and is simply a function of coordinate.
 
  • #6
K^2 said:
Conservative potential is a potential that gives rise to conservative force.

That definition makes no sense. Any single-valued scalar potential will give rise to a conservative field.

Alternatively, it's one that is path independent, and is simply a function of coordinate.

All scalars are path independent.
 

Related to Is electric potential conservative? yes.?

1. What is electric potential?

Electric potential is a measure of the potential energy that a charged particle possesses in an electric field. It is a scalar quantity that is measured in volts (V).

2. What does it mean for electric potential to be conservative?

A conservative force is one in which the work done by the force is independent of the path taken. In the case of electric potential, this means that the work done by an electric field on a charged particle is the same regardless of the path taken by the particle.

3. How can electric potential be calculated?

Electric potential can be calculated using the formula V = kQ/r, where V is the electric potential, k is the Coulomb's constant, Q is the charge of the particle, and r is the distance from the particle to the point where the potential is being measured.

4. Is electric potential always conservative?

No, electric potential is only conservative in the absence of changing magnetic fields. In the presence of changing magnetic fields, electric potential is not conservative and the work done by the electric field is dependent on the path taken.

5. How is electric potential related to electric field?

Electric potential and electric field are related by the equation E = -∇V, where E is the electric field, V is the electric potential, and ∇ is the gradient operator. This means that the electric field is the negative gradient of the electric potential.

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