Answer to Question #248635 in Electricity and Magnetism for Mosses07

Question

In an electrostatic field, path 1 between points A and B is twice as long as path 2. The electrostatic work done on a negatively charged particle that moves from A to B along path 1 is W1.

How much work is done on this particle if it later goes from A to B along path 2?

Express your answer in terms of W1.

Answer 1

Although path 2 is two times shorter, the electric field is a conservative field, which means that the work does not depend on the path and the work along path 2 is W1 as well.