Electric Field, Work, and Potential Energy
Electric fields are similar to gravitational fields - both involve action-at-a-distance forces. In the case of gravitational fields, the source of the field is a massive object and the action-at-a-distance forces are exerted upon other masses. When the concept of the force of gravity and energy was discussed in Unit 5 of the Physics Classroom, it was mentioned that the force of gravity is an internal or conservative force. When gravity does work upon an object to move it from a high location to a lower location, the object's total amount of mechanical energy is conserved. However, during the course of the falling motion, there was a loss of potential energy (and a gain of kinetic energy). When gravity does work upon an object to move it in the direction of the gravitational field, then the object loses potential energy. The potential energy originally stored within the object as a result of its vertical position is lost as the object moves under the influence of the gravitational field. On the other hand, energy would be required to move a massive object against its gravitational field. A stationary object would not naturally move against the field and gain potential energy. Energy in the form of work would have to be imparted to the object by an external force in order for it to gain this height and the corresponding potential energy.
The important point to be made by this gravitational analogy is that work must be done by an external force to move an object against nature - from low potential energy to high potential energy. On the other hand, objects naturally move from high potential energy to low potential energy under the influence of the field force. It is simply natural for objects to move from high energy to low energy; but work is required to move an object from low energy to high energy.
In a similar manner, to move a charge in an electric field against its natural direction of motion would require work. The exertion of work by an external force would in turn add potential energy to the object. The natural direction of motion of an object is from high energy to low energy; but work must be done to move the object against nature. On the other hand, work would not be required to move an object from a high potential energy location to a low potential energy location. When this principle is logically extended to the movement of charge within an electric field, the relationship between work, energy and the direction that a charge moves becomes more obvious.