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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

Purpose:
Investigate the fields created by point charges when all other forces are ignored.

Apparatus: PhET im!lation Charges and Fields Discussion: " point charge in space creates an electrostatic field# similar to a massive ob$ect creating a
gravitational field. In fact# this similarity e%tends to the mathematical relationship between electrostatic force
F =k q1q2 d2
F =G m1 m2 d2

and !niversal gravitational force

. In this lab# familiari&e yo!rself with how point

charges create fields and how m!liple fields# from m!ltiple charges# interact. It is worth noting that the field strength, E can be expressed in units of N/C and /!"

Important Formulas: Field #trength$

E=F q

and

E=V

Electrostatic Force$

F =k

q1q2 d2

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% &' "((x)( N! /C

Procedure and Analysis, part 1:

'. *. +. (pen yo!r PhET im!lations) Electricity, Magnets, and Circuits Charges and Fields Place a single point charge in the work area and observe the field it creates with a test charge. Draw the field lines ,!sing convention# arrows- aro!nd a positive and ,separately- a negative charge.

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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

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Draw the field lines aro!nd two nearby charges.

Two Positive Charges

Two Negative Charges

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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

Positive and Negative Charges

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0here# aro!nd a point charge# is the magnit!de of the electrostatic force the greatest1 the least1

The field strength is displayed y the color!transparency of the arro"# The force field is the greatest closest to the charge as e$ident y the solid red arro"s, and decreases %least& the further a"ay you go as e$ident y the transparent arro"s# 'emem er: Field force is F()* 1*+! %d+& , so force is in$ersely proportional to the s*uare of the distance#
2. 0here# aro!nd a point charge# is the magnit!de of the electrostatic potential the greatest1

For a positi$e test charge, the greatest potential occurs closest to the charge# %,imilar to potential energy in -ra$itational fields, "or) must first e done on an o .ect such as raising a oo)# /or) is re*uired to mo$e a positi$e charge closer to another positi$e charge# ,ince opposite charges repel each other, the potential is the greatest "hen the charges are the closest together %analogy: "hen spring is compressed the most or oo) is at highest position&#

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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

3.

4sing a single positive point charge# complete the table below) Distance from charge# m 5ield strength# 67m Potential at location# 6

*.' m 8.98 m

0. 0.!" 2.$1 0."$

:.

m m m m

~2 V/m 11 V/m V/m #4 V/m

'.' 67m *3.8 67m

~4 V 10 V
9.8 6 *2.. 6

!.2 V 1".$ V

how# mathematically or with the form!las from yo!r chart# that 67m ; N7<.

%se the e&'ations F()&1&2/*d2+ and E ( F/& ,o- .or e/am0le with a distance ( 2.1m- and a charge o. 1nC *1/10 1 + E ( F/& ( )&1/*d2+ (* .0/10 +*1/101 + /*2.1 m+2 E ( 2.0 N/C which is the same as Field ,trength 2.0 V/m .rom ta2le a2ove

Concl'sion 3'estions and Calc'lations4 '. <loser to a point charge# the electrostatic field strength is stronger / wea%er. *. Placed e%actly between two o00ositel51charged point charges# a test charge ,the sensor- will show +ero / !ini!u! / !axi!u! force.

+. Placed e%actly between two similar=charged point charges# a test charge ,the sensor- will show +ero / !ini!u! / !axi!u! force. .. Placed e%actly on a point charge# the sensor will show +ero / !ini!u! / !axi!u! field strength.

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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

/. " balloon is electrostatically charged with '.. >< ,microco!lombs- of charge. " second balloon *+ cm away is charged with =*.' >< of charge. The force of attraction / repulsion between the two charges will be)

%se the e&'ations F()&1&2/*d2+ ,o that F( )&1 &2/*d2+ (* .0/10 +*1.4/1016+ *12.1/1016+ /*0.2! m+2 ( 10.026/0.0"! ( 10." N

2. If one of the balloons has a mass of 8.82. kg# with what acceleration does it move toward or away from the other balloon1

F(ma- there.ore

a(F/m

a ( 10."N/0.064 )g ( 1#.$ m/s2

3. Imagine two '8. g ob$ects hanging in standard earth gravit5 from '.8m !ltra=light strings# separated by 8./8m. <omplete the chart below with free=body ,force- diagrams to describe the effect on the ob$ects !nder these circ!mstances)

7iven4 8ass ( 0.01 )g- 9ength ( 0."0 m- and ) ( .0/10 :ss'me acceleration d'e to gravit5 ( .$1 m/s 2 Partial F;< shown 2elow

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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

?eft ob$ect has a ne!tral charge# right ?eft ob$ect has a positive @'.8< charge# ?eft ob$ect has a positive @'.8< ob$ect has a negative ='.8< charge right ob$ect has a ='.8< negative charge charge# right ob$ect has a positive @'.8< charge

:. 5or each of the above diagrams# calc!late the initial force ,before any movement from 8./m away- of attraction7rep!lsion on each ob$ect.

Force d'e to gravit54 F ( maThere.ore- F ( *0.01 )g+ * .$1 m/s2+ ( 0.0 $N Electrostatic Force4 %se the e&'ations F()& 1&2/*d2+ Case 2 ,o that F( )&1 &2/*d2+ (* .0/10 +*=1C+ *11C+ /*0." m+2 ( >!.6 ? 10 Case ! ,o that F( )&1 &2/*d2+ (* .0/10 +*=1C+ *=1C+ /*0." m+2 ( =!.6 ? 10

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9. Does attraction d!e to !niversal gravity need to be incl!ded in yo!r calc!lations above1 0hy70hy not1

No- d'e to the di..erence in order of magnitude 2etween the .orces *calc'lated a2ove+- gravit5 does not need to 2e considered. The electrostatic .orce is signi.icantl5 stronger- s'ch that the .orce o. gravit5 can 2e neglected.

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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

,0PP1EME2TA1 A2,/E',: Araphics for Problem 3

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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

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Point Charges in Electrostatic Fields PhET E-fields II

,eference$ retrie-ed on ./*//*()) at http$//www"btinternet"co!/0!elee1d/re-ision/ph2sics/chargefield"pdf

The following picture shows the test charge 3sensor4 between to oppositel2 charged particles$

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