The electric potential energy (U) between two point charges can be calculated using the formula:
U = k * (q1 * q2) / r
Where:
U is the electric potential energy.
k is Coulomb's constant, approximately equal to 8.9875 × 10^9 N m²/C².
q1 and q2 are the magnitudes of the point charges.
r is the distance between the centers of the charges.
The potential energy is a scalar quantity and doesn't have a direction associated with it. Also, the formula assumes that the charges are point charges and that they are stationary.
The potential energy is relative, meaning it's the energy difference between two points in space. If you want to calculate the potential energy at a specific point due to a single charge, you can use the formula:
U = k * (q * Q) / r
Where:
U is the potential energy.
k is Coulomb's constant.
q is the magnitude of the point charge.
Q is the magnitude of the charge creating the electric field.
r is the distance between the point where you want to calculate the potential energy and the charge Q.