Energy Stored in Electric Fields Energy is stored in the capacitor: V + - E d +Q -Q area A The “volume of the capacitor” is Volume=Ad

Energy stored per unit volume (u): + - The energy is “stored” in the electric field! +Q -Q area A

“The energy in electromagnetic phenomena is the same as mechanical energy. The only question is, ‘Where does it reside?’ In the old theories, it resides in electrified bodies. In our theory, it resides in the electromagnetic field, in the space surrounding the electrified bodies.”—James Maxwell This is on page 2 of your OSE sheet. Do not use until later! (Unless you really know what you are doing.) V + - E This is not a new “kind” of energy. It’s the electric potential energy resulting from the coulomb force between charged particles. f +Q -Q Or you can think of it as the electric energy due to the field created by the charges. Same thing. area A