Question

How is electric potential energy similar to gravitational potential energy? How is it different? Where will an electron bound in an atom and have the largest electrical potential energy?

Answer 1

Electric Potential energy is given by U_e = (KQ₁Q₂) / R² , and Gravitational is given by U_g = (GM₁M₂) / R² .

So 1) Both are inversely proportional to distance between the entities.(masses in gravitational case and charges in electrical case). In both cases magnitude is directly proprotional to the size of entities.

2) Gravitaional potential energy can be only positive i.e masses can only be attracted towards each other but Electrical potential energy can also be negative because opposite charges repel.

3) An electron bound in an atom will have the largest electrical potential energy close the nucleus , because the protons in the nucleus repel the electron strongest there.