Equipotential

No Change  A charge moving perpendicular to field lines has no change in potential.  A line that is always perpendicular to the field lines connects point of equal voltage.  This is an equipotential line. qq E

Equipotential Lines  Equipotentials occur in any field. Altitude for gravitational fieldAltitude for gravitational field

Spherical Shell  The equipotential line for a point charge in a plane is a circle.  The field lines go in 3- dimensions.  The equipotential is actually a spherical surface.

Perpendicular Lines  All field lines are perpendicular to the surface of a conductor.  The surface of the conductor is an equipotential surface.  The interior is also at the same potential. An equipotential volumeAn equipotential volume qq

Dipole Potential  The field lines of a dipole can be used to find equipotential lines.

Electrocardiography  The heart muscle produces electrical potential differences. Typically 1 mV at the skin  At any time there are equipotential lines on the skin.  The heart beat trace is the voltage at one point on the skin. next