Static Electricity Online Simulations

Directions: ​Grab a chromebook and go to the website…

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Static-Electricity

or type into google… “physics classroom interactive static electricity”

Look over the list and complete the following four simulations. These are meant to serve as a
learning tool, so please spend some time with each one and think about what you are doing.

Simulation 1: Soda Can

Turn on the Glass and Rubber Rods and observe the behavior of the soda can.
1. What type if charge is on the…
a. Glass rod?
Positive
b. Rubber rod?
Negative
c. Soda Can?
Both but negative is more prominent
2. Careful, the soda can is neutral (same number of positive and negatives charges). Why, then,
does the soda attract to both the glass and rubber rods? Hint: pay attention to the charges in
the can and how they move.
The positive charges can’t move and the electrons are free flowing so they go to the rod

Simulation 2: Name that Charge

Answer the questions regarding charge. Remember that inside conductors, electrons are free
to move either direction. Electrons are attracted to protons and repel other electrons.
3. Record your score for the questions.
5/7

4. What was the most difficult question on the list? How did you go about figuring it out?
The question about the pie tin and the one with the balloon going in between the 2 neutrally charged
cans

Simulation 3: Coulomb’s Law

Now, we are going to add some numbers. The electric force is the force between charged
particles. But, as with all forces, we can measure its magnitude/size using an equation. This
equation id called Coulomb’s Law. It looks ​very similar to the gravity equation​ we saw a couple
weeks ago but instead of mass we substitute in charge. Here is the equation:

Here q​1​ and q​2​ represent the amount of charge on an object (measured in something called
“Coulombs”), d is the distance between the charged objects, and k is a constant. The value of k is
not important (okay, fine… it is 9 billion… no joke, 9x10​9​) but know that it is always the same number.
F​E​ is the magnitude of the force on each charged object. As for the direction of the force, just use
“opposites attract and likes repel” and you will find it.

5. How is electrostatic force (​F​elect​) related to the

magnitude of charge on the two objects (​q​1 ​and ​q​2​)?
Keeping the same separation distance for all trials,
systematically alter the charges of the objects and
record the force. Be systematic and use purposeful
changes such as doubling, tripling, and quadrupling of
charge.

6. How is the electrostatic force (​F​elect​) related to the separation

distance (​d​) the two charges? Keeping the magnitude of charge on
both objects constant, conduct a systematic study to collect data
relating separation distance to force. The separation distance is
defined as the distance between the centers of the two objects; the
best strategy involves centering the objects on a gridline and using
distances that are a whole number of squares.

Simulation 4: Put the Charge in the Goal

This one should be simple enough… try to score a goal on each level.
7. Which levels were you able to score the goal?
1,2,3

8. Draw your successful solution for each level in which you scored a goal! (at least 3)

For #1 i moved the negative charge towards the goal so that the ball was pulled right in
For #2 I used the negative o pull the a under the block then the positive to push it towards the goal
For #3 Same as #2 but just waited for the block to turn to the correct spot so that the negative would
attract the ball.