Assignment Summary For this assignment, you will measure and plot the electric potential differences, or voltages, in an area around a dipole. You will then use this plot to draw equipotential lines and electric field lines to create a model of the electric field surrounding the dipole. Background Information An electric field exists around any charged object and can exert a force on other charged objects . Electric potential energy is the potential energy an electric charge has due to its location in an electric field. Changing the distance between a charge and the source of an electric field changes the charge's potential energy. The strength of an electric field at any position is denoted by the electric potential a charge would have at that position. (Electric potential is the electric potential energy of a charged particle divided by its charge. ) For electrical charges to flow, there must be a difference in the electric potential between two positions. This electric potential difference is also known as voltage. Electric potentials are represented by equipotential lines, which are contour lines that indicate areas of equal electric potential. These resemble contour lines on topographic maps. Electric fields are epresented by field lines that indicate the strength and direction of the flow of the electric field. Electric field lines are always at right angles to equipotential lines. They point away from a positive charge and toward a negative charge, and they never cross one another. Field lines and equipotential lines provide a map of the interacting electric fields emanating from different charges. Materials - DC power supply with one red and one black - Water electrical lead - 1 cm x 1 cm laminated grid paper - Digital voltmeter or multimeter with one red and one black electrical probe - 1 cm x 1 cm grid paper - 1 clear, shallow pan - Modeling clay Assignment Instructions Step 1: Prepare for the project. a) Read the entire Student Guide before you begin this project. b) If anything is unclear, be sure to ask your teacher for assistance before you begin. c) Gather the materials you will need to complete this project