Electric Potential Calculator

Electric potential (measured in volts) is the amount of electric energy stored at a point in space due to one or more nearby charged particles — and the Electric Potential Calculator computes it for up to five point charges at once. Select the number of point charges, then enter each charge value (in coulombs) and its distance to your point of interest to get the total electric potential in volts. Secondary outputs show the individual potential contribution from each charge.

Select how many point charges contribute to the potential.

C

Enter charge in coulombs. Use negative values for negative charges.

m

Distance from charge 1 to the point of interest (must be > 0).

C

Enter charge in coulombs. Negative values are allowed.

m

Distance from charge 2 to the point of interest.

C
m
C
m
C
m

Results

Total Electric Potential (V)

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Potential due to Charge 1

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Potential due to Charge 2

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Potential due to Charge 3

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Potential due to Charge 4

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Potential due to Charge 5

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Results Table

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is electric potential?

Electric potential at a point in space is the amount of work required to move a unit positive charge (1 coulomb) from infinity to that point against the electric field. It is a scalar quantity measured in volts (V). A positive charge creates a positive potential, while a negative charge creates a negative potential.

How do I calculate electric potential due to a point charge?

The electric potential V due to a single point charge q at a distance r is given by V = kq/r, where k is Coulomb's constant (8.9875 × 10⁹ N·m²/C²). Simply plug in the charge in coulombs and the distance in meters to get the potential in volts.

Can electric potential be negative?

Yes. Electric potential is negative when the source charge is negative. Because potential is a scalar, a negative charge produces negative potential at all surrounding points. This reflects that work would be released (not done) when bringing a positive test charge from infinity toward a negative source charge.

What is electric potential difference?

Electric potential difference (also called voltage) is the difference in electric potential between two points: ΔV = V_A − V_B. It represents the work done per unit charge to move a charge from point B to point A. It is measured in volts (V) and is fundamental to understanding current flow in circuits.

How is the electric potential of a system of point charges calculated?

For a system of point charges, the total electric potential at a point is the algebraic (scalar) sum of the potentials due to each individual charge: V_total = k·q₁/r₁ + k·q₂/r₂ + … + k·qₙ/rₙ. Because potential is a scalar, you simply add the values with their signs — no vector addition is needed.

Is electric potential a scalar or a vector quantity?

Electric potential is a scalar quantity — it has magnitude and sign but no direction. This makes it easier to work with than the electric field (which is a vector). When summing contributions from multiple charges, you simply add the scalar values algebraically.

What is the electric potential of a charge at a point at infinity?

The electric potential due to any finite point charge at infinity is zero. This is the standard reference point for electric potential. As the distance r → ∞, V = kq/r → 0, regardless of the magnitude or sign of the charge.

What is the unit of electric potential?

The SI unit of electric potential is the volt (V), named after Alessandro Volta. One volt equals one joule per coulomb (1 V = 1 J/C). It can also be expressed dimensionally as kg·m²·s⁻³·A⁻¹ in SI base units.