Ch. 17 Electric Potential Due Friday 21 January

1. Imagine you are standing on the edge of Death Valley, right at sea level. Death Valley is below sea level and the surrounding hills are above sea level. We can define sea level as our zero of gravitational potential energy and our zero of gravitational potential. What arrangement of charges would give you a region of high electric

potential, a region of negative electric potential and a place between them where there was no electric potential, just like in the gravitational analogy?

2. Estimate how many electron volts of kinetic energy a typical car on the expressway has. How many Joules is this? Again be sure to state any assumptions you use in making your estimation.

3. You and a close friend stand facing each other.  You are as close as you can get without actually touching.  If a wire is attached to each of you, you can act as the two conductors in a capacitor.  Estimate the capacitance of this "human capacitor."

4. Are there any thoughts you wish to share, whether they are about this assignment, the reading (what seems impossible, what makes no sense, what you'd like to spend time on in class, what you really found interesting etc) or the course?