Statement-1: Work done by electrostatic force is zero if a charge is moving along an equipotential surface.
Statement-2: Equipotential surfaces are perpendicular to electric field.
Correct Answer :
Both statements are true
Solution :
The correct option is: Both statements are true.
Let us analyze both statements step-by-step to understand the underlying physical concepts:
1. Understanding Statement-1:
The work done by an electrostatic force in moving a charge from a point to a point is given by the relation:
where and are the electrostatic potentials at points and , respectively. By definition, an equipotential surface is a surface where the electric potential is the same at every point. Therefore, for any two points and on this surface:
Substituting this into the work formula gives:
Thus, the work done by the electrostatic force when moving a charge along an equipotential surface is indeed zero. Statement-1 is true.
2. Understanding Statement-2:
The relation between the electric field and the electric potential is given in differential form by:
where represents a small displacement vector along the surface. For displacement along an equipotential surface, the potential does not change, meaning:
Substituting this back into the relation:
The dot product of two non-zero vectors is zero when the vectors are perpendicular to each other. Since lies along the equipotential surface, the electric field vector must be perpendicular to the surface at every point. Thus, equipotential surfaces are always perpendicular to the electric field. Statement-2 is true.
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