Electric Potential (Point Charges) Calculator mechanism

Model scope

The pair formulas are standard under the stated SI, vacuum, point-charge, and infinite-reference assumptions. The catalog claim is ambiguous because it says potential due to point charges plural while listing only the single-charge expression, and it does not specify how multiple-charge inputs are represented or whether U is for one pair or a complete charge system.

• V=kq/r is correct for the potential from one point charge, but the stated capability covers multiple point charges and requires V_total=Σ(kq_i/r_i). The spec does not define whether V means a single-source potential or the summed potential.
• U=kq1q2/r is the standard electrostatic potential energy for one pair of point charges, but total potential energy for multiple charges requires summing kq_iq_j/r_ij over all distinct pairs.
• The formulas assume a homogeneous vacuum or that k already includes the medium's permittivity; the medium is not specified.

Units and conventions

• Use SI units: charge in coulombs, distance in meters, potential in volts, and energy in joules.
• For vacuum, use k=8.99×10^9 N·m²/C². In a material medium, k must be replaced by 1/(4πε) or an explicitly supplied equivalent.
• Charges are signed quantities; positive and negative signs determine the sign of V and U.
• Potential is referenced to zero at infinite distance.
• For U, r is the separation between the two charges, not each charge's distance from an observation point.

Inspectable vector

One of 4 source-bound review vectors:

{
  "inputs": {
    "k_N_m2_per_C2": 8990000000,
    "q_C": 0.000002,
    "r_m": 0.3,
    "q1_C": 0.000002,
    "q2_C": -0.000003,
    "pair_distance_m": 0.5
  },
  "expected_outputs": {
    "V_V": 59933.333333333336,
    "U_J": -0.10788
  },
  "working": "V=(8.99×10^9)(2×10^-6)/0.30=(17980)/0.30=59933.333333333336 V. U=(8.99×10^9)(2×10^-6)(-3×10^-6)/0.50=(8.99×10^9)(-6×10^-12)/0.50=(-0.05394)/0.50=-0.10788 J."
}

Failure boundary

BREAK_CLAIMED · SELF_FLAGGED

The formula has an undefined zero-distance case, so the instrument must reject r=0 rather than perform plain division. The specification also leaves distance-sign conventions unstated and has no actual piecewise formula branch.

Other records

Sources and evidence

These pointers bind the page to evidence. They do not grant authority or collapse verification into deployment.

• VERIFIED_LEDGER.json
• evidence-tranche5/tranche5-results.json
• BOUNDARY_HAZARD_CATALOG.json