Work (electric field)

Electric field work is the work performed by an electric field on a charged particle in its vicinity. The particle located experiences an interaction with the electric field. The work per unit of charge is defined by moving a negligible test charge between two points, and is expressed as the difference in electric potential at those points. The work can be done, for example, by electrochemical devices (electrochemical cells) or different metals junctions generating an electromotive force.

Electric field work is formally equivalent to work by other force fields in physics, and the formalism for electrical work is identical to that of mechanical work.