Heat, Electricity, and Optics Laboratory Electric Field Mapping
Objectives
• Students are given an introduction to electrostatics and concepts behind electric fields and electric potential. Students will identify electric field lines and also exercise error analysis techniques in calculating the magnitude of electric field.
• Learn how to use basic electrical equipment to measure properties of electronic circuits and extrapolate properties of the electric field.
Determining E-field strength:
At several points on the paper, record the voltage at distances 50, 100, 150, and 250 millimeters from the positively charged plate. (Make sure to record uncertainties for both the voltage & distance readings!)
Data Analysis:
1. Remove the bottom piece of graph paper and use the marked points to sketch out the equipotential lines.
2. At each distance, calculate a mean and standard deviation for the voltage.
3. Use the mean voltage to calculate the E-field strength at each distance.
4. Use standard error propagation to determine the uncertainty of the E- field strength.