Electric Potential Energy in a Uniform Force Field

Consider the +ve charge in the uniform electric field in the following diagram. This charge will contain an electric potential energy analogous to the way a mass would have a gravitational potential energy in a uniform gravitational field. (DEp=mgDh)

A force on the positive charge in the electric field, with a direction shown, would have a magnitude Eq, where E is the electric field strength and q is the magnitude of the charge.

F = eq

The electric force on the charge has the potential to do work on that charge in moving from B to A which is equal to the difference in electric potential energy between point B and point A.Work is equal to force x distance so it follows that

W=DEE=eqd

DEP=mgDh

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