Answer to Question #105277 in Electricity and Magnetism for Jeevan Jyoti behera

Question

Is it true? The work done in taking a unit charge from one point to another in the electric field of a charge +Q C depends on the path followed by the charge.

Answer 1

We know Electrostatic force is a conservative force and Work done by a conservative force depends on the initial and final position of the particle so,

The work done on any particle moving under its influence does not depend on the path taken by the particle but depends on initial and final positions of the particle. This work is the electric energy or the electric potential energy of the charge