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Mapa Institute of Technology

Department of Physics



Experiment 305
ELECTRIC FIELDS AND
EQUIPOTENTIAL LINES



Name: Saccuan, April Jem H.
Program/Year: CpE/2
Course Code/Section: PHY12L/A1
Student No.: 2012100116
Group No.: 5 Seat No.: 502
Date of Performance: February 11, 2014
Date of Submission: February 18, 2014



Prof. Bobby Manlapig
Instructor
GRADE

QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS
1. Is it possible for equipotential lines to intersect each other? Justify your answer.
Yes, it is possible for equipotential lines to intersect each other if and only if the two
charges have the same charge (positive-positive or negative-negative), same value of the potential
as each other, and they are emerging from or converging to the same singularity.
2. From the electric field pattern that you obtained, what is the relationship between the spacing of
the field lines and the electric field magnitude?
It is not quite seen in the pattern drawn but more likely, the closer the field lines are to
each other, the stronger the electric field magnitude will be. By the equation and graph it is said
that the electric force is also inversely proportional to the square of the distance of charges with
each other.
3. If an electron is at the midpoint of the line connecting two equal but opposite charges in a direction
perpendicular to this line, does the charge experience zero electric force due to the two charges?
If not is there a point along the line connecting the charges where the electron will experience a
zero electric force? Where is this point located?
The charge does not experience zero electric force because for the point midway between
the forces acting on the electron are in same line but also in the same direction so they will add.
The force will be zero only at infinity because between the charge forces will add but beyond
forces will oppose but they would never be equal in magnitude.
4. Sketch the electric field between two positive charges of equal magnitude.



MAPUA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF PHYSI CS
EXPERIMENT 305 : ELECTRIC FIELDS AND EQUIPOTENTIAL LINES

Name Saccuan, April Jem H. Group No. 5
Program/Year CpE/2 Seat No. 502
Subject/Section PHY12L/A1 Date 02/11/14
DATA and OBSERVATIONS
A. Dipoles of Unlike Charges

Multimeter
Reading
Coordinates, (x,y)


3.23 Volts
9 0
9.5 1
10 2
12 3


3.27 Volts
8 0
10 3
11 3.5
12 4


3.32 Volts

7 0
9 4
10 5
12 5.5


3.38 Volts
6 0
7 3
9 5.5
12 7


3.46 Volts
5 0
7 6
9 8
12 9


MAPUA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF PHYSI CS
EXPERIMENT 305 : ELECTRIC FIELDS AND EQUIPOTENTIAL LINES

Name Saccuan, April Jem H. Group No. 5
Program/Year CpE/2 Seat No. 502
Subject/Section PHY12L/A1 Date 02/11/14
DATA and OBSERVATIONS
B. Point Source and Guard Ring

Multimeter
Reading
Coordinates, (x, y)


6.43 Volts
6 0
3 5
5 3
0 6


6.36 Volts
5 0
4 2
2 4
0 5


6.29 Volts

4 0
3 2
2 3
0 4


6.23 Volts
3 0
2 2
1 2.5
0 3


6.21 Volts
2 0
1.5 1
1 1.5
0 2

Approved by:



Prof. Bobby Manlapig



02/11/14
instructor date



ANALYSIS
1. Why is the voltage reading along an equipotential line zero?
The digital voltmeter measures the potential difference between the point on
the paper where the probe is held and the conductor connected to the other lead of
the voltmeter. Voltage is a potential difference. Since we read along an equipotential
line or a line with equal potential, then getting its difference will yield no difference,
as well as, voltage.

2. At what point is the voltage reading greatest? What is the significance of this?
The greatest voltage reading would be if the difference between the lines of
equipotential is greatest. A positive test charge would be at high electric potential when
held close to a positive source charge. Hence, decreasing the distance from the point
source, the voltage increases. Knowing this relationship would be of great reminder
that when a test charge is being made which is very far from the point source, a high
voltage was being made and high voltages should be taken cautioned of.

3. Describe the electric field inside the guard ring.
Plotting the points with equal potential on a guard ring and using origin as the
point source, circular paths are produced. This means that as the circular silver lining
was made, the electric lines are trapped inside the ring because silver is a conductor
and thus conduct electricity. The same in the first experiment, conversely, increasing
the distance from the point source the voltage decreases.

CONCLUSION
In this experiment, we studied the nature of electric fields by mapping the
equipotential lines and then drawing in the electric lines of force or electric field lines
which are always perpendicular to each other. An electric field is an area where electric
force is present while equipotential lines are lines with equal potential.
For experiment 1, plotting the points with equal potentials produce a parabolic
figure and then the field lines are drawn intersecting the potential lines
perpendicularly. For experiment 2, we produce circular potential lines and so the
electric field lines are all radii of the guard circle and the other circles since we produce
concentric potential lines.
Performing this experiment, it is concluded that equipotential lines are
proportional in strength with respect to the distances from the point source. Finally,
voltage is indirectly proportional to the distance from the point source.

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