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EPF Lab Report

Through experiments using dipoles, parallel plates, and a hollow conductor, the electric potential and field lines of different conductors were measured and mapped on a two-dimensional plane. For dipoles, the potential followed the expected curve, reaching a minimum at the center and maxima at the positions of the charges. Parallel plates produced a similar potential profile that peaked at the plate positions. A hollow conductor within the plates caused a large drop in potential inside but did not affect the overall field between the plates. The results closely matched theoretical predictions based on equations for electric potential and field.

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387 views

EPF Lab Report

Through experiments using dipoles, parallel plates, and a hollow conductor, the electric potential and field lines of different conductors were measured and mapped on a two-dimensional plane. For dipoles, the potential followed the expected curve, reaching a minimum at the center and maxima at the positions of the charges. Parallel plates produced a similar potential profile that peaked at the plate positions. A hollow conductor within the plates caused a large drop in potential inside but did not affect the overall field between the plates. The results closely matched theoretical predictions based on equations for electric potential and field.

Uploaded by

makutad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Electric Potential and Fields

Daniel Primachenko
Department of Physics, Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH 44016-7079
Abstract:
Through the use of different forms of electric fields between charges,
the patterns of electric potential can be analyzed and compared to expected
results calculated from given equations. Utilizing dipoles, parallel plates, and
a hollow conductor, results can be analyzed on the two dimensional plane to
assume characteristics of their electric fields and the potential differences
produced.
Introduction:
The purpose of this lab is to determine and map out the electric
potential and field lines of conductors. The experiment will measure
conductors on the two dimensional plane. Three different instances of
conductors interacting will be recorded: two oppositely charged dipoles, two
parallel plates forming a capacitor, and a hollow conductor within a
capacitor.
Electrostatic force can be explained as the mutual force between two
charges Q1 and Q2 at a distance r: F = k * (Q1*Q2)/r2, where k = 1/(4*pi* 0).

The electric filed is defined as any point where the force per charge
caused by Q exerts itself leading to E = F/Q = k * (Q1*Q2)/Q*r2 = k * Q/r2.
Both E and F are vectors. Because electric fields produce so many vectors,
field lines are used instead to depict the direction and behavior of the
electric field. Positive points outward and negative points inward.
For fields produced by multiple point charges, electric potential at a

certain point within the field can be defined as

where Q is the

charge and r is the distance from it.


Finally, the potential for the electric dipole between two opposite

charges is defined as

where a is the distance between

each charge and the center between them.


Procedure:
My partners and I began the experiment with placing graph paper
under a water tray to produce a coordinate system. Then we took two
electrodes inside and spaced them 14 cm apart. After hooking up the
electrodes to a 12 volt AC transformer and a DMM, we measured the
voltages at different x and y values. After recording, we produced a voltage
by x value graph with the data (included at the end).

We then setup the parallel plates 12 cm apart on the y axis for the
capacitor measurements. We recorded the voltage at different x and y values
just like with the electrodes. My partners and I used data from the results to
plot a voltage by y value graph (also included in the back).
Finally, we placed a hollow cylinder right in between the parallel plates.
This time, we only recorded the voltage at the y values every half cm. We
again took the data to produce a graph of voltage vs y values.
Results & Analysis:
After performing the procedure, my group analyzed the potential
difference for the first part of the experiment using the electrodes. We used
the equation

to find it and plotted our results against the

positions measured on a graph attached to the back. We got a

value of

0.00117 for it. According to the graph, the potential seems to move toward a
negative value as a minimum at x = +- 10 cm and maximums at x = +- 7
cm. between the maximums, the potential curves down into a relative
minimum at the center x = 0 cm. The maximums are due to 7 cm being the
positions of the electrodes while 10 cm is the area outside from them where
the potential shifts.
The parallel conductor setup produces a similar potential difference as
the electrodes with the difference hitting a maximum at y = +- 6 cm where

the plates are located which immediately go down after going further away
from the plates.
As for the electric field within the hollow cylinder, there is a large drop
in voltage once you leave the cylinder as shown in the graph, but inside the
electric field remains relatively constant with a 0.3 V difference between
each end of it and a 2.0 V change once leaving it. With a

value of

0.00125, the average field value within the hollow cylinder is 7.75V +- 0.15V.
Conclusions:
After analyzing the results of the experiment and comparing it with the
theories introduced in the introduction, it can be said that the data relates
closely to the characteristics taken from the laws and equations used.
Oppositely charged electrodes produce a dipole whose charge depends on
the distance between the 2 charges. Parallel plates produce a uniform
electric field between them. The hollow cylinder proved to only affect the
voltage within itself, not the rest of the filed between the parallel plates.
Acknowledgements:
I would like to thank Rohan Deb, Connor Swingle, and the Case Department
of Physics, for help in obtaining the experimental data and preparing the
figures.
References:

1. Schultz, D., General Physics I: Mechanics Lab Manual, CWRU Bookstore,


Fall 2014.

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