MeasData Sheet E3 Electric Field Plotting Name Partner Data

MeasData Sheet E-3 Electric Field Plotting Name: Partner: Data: Date: Instructor\'s initials: Group No_ Sheet with equipotential points marked. Measurements and Calculations: 1. Draw equipotential lines; label the potential. 2. Draw electric field lines. 3. Measure the distance along the center electric field line: Between 0-0.75 0.75-1.50 1.50-2.25 2.25-3.00 3.00-3.75 3.75-4.50 4.50-5.25 5.25-6.00 Between0-0.75 0.75-1.50 1.50-2.25 2.25-3.00 3.00-3.75 3.75-4.50 450-5.25 5.25-6.00 4. Calculate the magnitude of average electric field along the center line field. Between 0-0.75 0.75-1.501.50-2.25 | 2.25-3.00 3.00-3.75 3.75 4.50 4.50-5.25| 5.25-6.00 Between 0-0.75 0.75-1.50 1.50-2.25 2.25-3.00 3.00-3.75 3.75-4.50 4.50-5.255.25-6.00 Is the electric field constant along this line? If not, where is the magnitude of the average electric field the greatest? 5. Measure the distance along the outermost electric field line: Between 0-0.75 0.75-1.50 1.50-2.25 2.25-3.00 3.00-3.75 3.75-4.50 4.50-5.25 5.25 -6.00 -6.00 cm Calculate the magnitude of average electric field along the outmost field line Between 0-0.75 0.75-1.50 1.50-2.25 2.25-3.00 3.00-3.75 3.75-4.50 4.50-5.25 75-0.75-1.50 1.50-2.25 2.25-3.00 3.00-3.75 3.75-4.50 4.50-525 525600 V/m O-022. Is the electric field constant along this line? If not, where is the magnitude of the average electric field the greatest?

Solution

A more useful means of visually representing the vector nature of an electric field is through the use of electric field lines of force. Rather than draw countless vector arrows in the space surrounding a source charge, it is perhaps more useful to draw a pattern of several lines that extend betweeninfinity and the source charge. These pattern of lines, sometimes referred to as electric field lines, point in the direction that a positive test charge would accelerate if placed upon the line. As such, the lines are directed away from positively charged source charges and toward negatively charged source charges. To communicate information about the direction of the field, each line must include an arrowhead that points in the appropriate direction. An electric field line pattern could include an infinite number of lines. Because drawing such large quantities of lines tends to decrease the readability of the patterns, the number of lines is usually limited. The presence of a few lines around a charge is typically sufficient to convey the nature of the electric field in the space surrounding the lines.