Answer to Question #249181 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 Balong path 2?

Express your answer in terms of W₁.

Answer 1

Any electrostatic field is a conservative field. Thus, the amount of work required to move a particle from A to B does not depend on the path. Thus, the work is done on this particle if it later goes grom A to B along path 2 is the same as the work done on this particle that moves along path 1, and equal to $W_1$.

Answer. $W_1$.