Question

In the analogy between gravitation and electrostatics, the gravitational potential energy \[U = mgh\] corresponds to which electrostatic expression?

Options

• \[U = qE\]

• \[U = qV\]

• \[U = q^2 V\]

• \[U = \frac{V}{q}\]

Answer 1

Just as a mass m in a gravitational field has \[U = mgh\], a charge q in an electric field has \[U = qV\]. Mass corresponds to charge, and gravitational potential corresponds to electric potential V.