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In EK book, it says "When the electric field begins to build up between the plates of a capacitor, the dipoles are rotated to point in the direction of the electric field (from a physics not a chemistry sense)."
1. The direction of dipole in physics is defined as opposite of the direction of electric field.
2. The dipole which is not perfectly aligned itself with external electric field have potential energy given by the formula of U=-PEcosA ( A is angle between the dipole and electric field)
3. In capacitor, the dipoles are rotated in the direction of the electric field. Does this mean that the formula for potential energy which dipoles have should be U=PEcosA (without negative sign)?
4. thanks a lot.
1. The direction of dipole in physics is defined as opposite of the direction of electric field.
2. The dipole which is not perfectly aligned itself with external electric field have potential energy given by the formula of U=-PEcosA ( A is angle between the dipole and electric field)
3. In capacitor, the dipoles are rotated in the direction of the electric field. Does this mean that the formula for potential energy which dipoles have should be U=PEcosA (without negative sign)?
4. thanks a lot.
