Module 3
1. Module 3
1.35. Page 6
Module 3—Electrical Phenomena
Lesson 5 Lab: Electric Potential as a Function of Distance
Background Information
In the previous lab activity you collected data for a positive test charge that was forced to move in the electric field of a positive source charge. As the test charge was moved closer to the source charge, work was done and potential energy was stored in the system. Since the potential energy increased, the electric potential also increased as the test charge was brought closer to the source.
In the analysis of this system, it was noted that the electric field of the source and the electrostatic force exerted on the test charge both varied as the inverse of the distance squared from the source. Do you think that the electric potential also varies as the inverse square of the distance of separation?
Purpose
In this lab activity you will design an experiment and collect data to answer the following question:
- Does the electric potential between a source charge and a test charge vary as the inverse square of the distance of separation?
You may be required to enter a username and password. Contact your teacher for this information. You will use the capabilities of the Electric Field Potential, Non-Uniform simulation as a tool to gather the necessary data. Make the initial settings of the simulation identical to those used in the previous investigation.
In this set-up, you can collect data along the x-axis from 100 m to 600 m.
Module 3: Lesson 5 Assignment
Remember to submit the answers to LAB 4, LAB 5, and LAB 6 to your teacher as part of your Module 3: Lesson 5 Assignment.
LAB 4. Does the electric potential between a source charge and a test charge vary as the inverse square of the distance of separation? Describe a procedure that would enable you to collect the necessary data to answer this question.
LAB 5. Collect the necessary data, according to the steps of the procedure that you described in LAB 4.
LAB 6. Analyze the data that you collected so that you can answer the question posed in LAB 4.