Electric Potential Energy Calculator

Summary

Calculate the electric potential energy between two point charges given their magnitudes and separation distance.

How it works

1. Enter the magnitude of the first charge (q1) and select its sign (positive or negative).
2. Enter the magnitude of the second charge (q2) and select its sign.
3. Enter the separation distance between the two charges.
4. Select the unit for each quantity (charges in coulombs, microcoulombs, or nanocoulombs; distance in meters, centimeters, or millimeters).
5. The calculator applies U = k·q1·q2 / r using Coulomb's constant k = 8.99 × 10⁹ N·m²/C².
6. The result is displayed in joules (J) and electronvolts (eV) with the energy's sign indicating attraction (negative) or repulsion (positive).

Use cases

• Solve electrostatics problems in introductory physics courses.
• Determine whether two charges attract or repel based on the sign of U.
• Convert between joules and electronvolts for atomic-scale interactions.
• Check textbook calculations for Coulomb potential energy problems.
• Estimate the energy stored between capacitor plates modeled as point charges.
• Explore how potential energy scales with distance (1/r relationship).

Frequently Asked Questions