Which of the following statements about electric potential energy is not correct?

Analyze the question: We need the statement that is NOT correct about electric potential energy.

Concept: Electric potential energy U = qV, where q is the charge and V is the potential at the point.

• Positive charge (q > 0): U increases when V increases.
• Negative charge (q < 0): U increases when V decreases, because U = (−|q|)V.
• The electric field is conservative, so the work done around any closed path is zero.

Check each option:

• A. A positive charge moving to a higher potential gains potential energy (ΔU = qΔV > 0). Correct.
• B. A negative charge moving to a lower potential: ΔV < 0 and q < 0, so ΔU = qΔV > 0. The energy increases. Correct.
• C. A positive charge moving to a higher potential: ΔU = qΔV > 0, so the energy increases, not decreases. This statement is not correct.
• D. The electric field is conservative, so the net work around a closed path is zero. Correct.

Tip: Use U = qV and keep track of the sign of q. A positive charge "likes" low potential (like a ball rolling downhill), so moving it to a higher potential costs energy. A negative charge does the opposite. Also, for "not correct" questions, find the statement that contradicts another one. Here A and C directly contradict each other, so one of them has to be the wrong one.