Materials Needed:

Computer

Course Objectives:

1.Define and utilize the nature of static electrical charge.

Topic: Electric Fields

To conduct the experiments utilized in this week's lab, you must begin by ensuring the webpage for Phet lab entitled "Charges and Fields" is able to function in your web browser. First go to:

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/charges-and-fields/latest/charges-and-fields_en.html

Likely Chrome will be the best browser for this, but most any browser should work.

Next, click on the +1nC dot and drag it into the black space. You should see something like this:

Figure #1

If you do see a similar screen, then likely the software will work. If not, please try another browser until you do see something similar.

Once you are certain your web-browser is capable of using this app, then refresh it until you have a blank/black screen and begin the activities below.

Virtual Lab:

1.What can you change about the simulation?

2. Click on the "sensor" dot on the bottom and put it somewhat far from a +1nC charge. Then click "show values" on the upper right box. What is the physical significance of this value?

3. How can you make a charge of +2nC? -3nC?

4. Draw the field lines for a +4nC charge. Make sure you are sketching continuous field lines, not discrete arrows like in the simulator. You can useGoogle Drawingto complete this.

5. Refresh the screen and repeat this for a -1nC charge.

6. Refresh the browser, and place a +1nC and a -1nC about 1 meter away from each other. Sketch continuous field lines between these two charges below.

7. Refresh again and place TWO +1nC charges about 1 meter apart and sketch the continuous field lines below.

8. When you have two like charges in a line - where is the electric field the greatest? Is there ever a point where the field will be zero?

9. When you have two unlike charges in a line - where is the electric field the greatest? Is there ever a point where the field will be zero?

10. Refresh and place THREE +1nC charges at equal distances from each other. Draw continuous electric field lines below, in addition to writing at least 5 magnitudes of the electric field from the sensor, at different positions.

11. Refresh and place FOUR charges, TWO +1nC and TWO -1nC, in a square shape. Draw in continuous electric field lines and write in the electric field sensor magnitude at five different positions.

12. Refresh and place a row of +1nC charges on the bottom of the screen. You should use at least 20 separate charges in the row. Draw the continuous electric field lines below and write in the electric field strength at 1.5 meters above the center of the line of charges.

13. DO NOT refresh, and now place a long line of -1nC, the same number as you did for positive charges, on the top of the screen about 3 meters from the positive charges. Sketch the continuous electric field lines below and make note of the electric field value at the same position, 1.5 meters above the center of the positive row.