The distance between the alpha particle and the nucleus will increase again, converting the potential energy back into kinetic energy. The electrostatic potential V is related to the electrostatic field E . Consider the two points P 1 and P 2 shown in figure above. Assume that they are separated by an infinitesimal distance d L . Here q is the angle between the direction of the electric field and the direction of the displacement d L .
E L indicates the component of the electric field along the direction of d L .
The total electric field E can be obtained from the electrostatic potential V by combining these three equations. In many electrostatic problems the electric field due to a certain charge distribution must be evaluated. In many cases the second method is simpler, because the calculation of the electrostatic potential involves an algebraic sum, while the direct calculation of the field involves a vector sum. 10 Click on the link. For the User ID use your registered password .