Laboratory Worksheet

General Physics 2
Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics

Lab Activity 2
Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 30 minutes

Let’s Review
In a virtual surface, we can imagine that a number of electric field lines pass through it

and we can associate it with its electric flux. Electric flux, , is actually the rate of
flow of the electric field passing through a given area, having the term flux come from
the Latin word
which means “flow.” Given an enclosed surface with point charges or charged sheets,
the following should be kept in mind:
a. The total electric flux is directly proportional to the total amount of charge in the
closed surface and not dependent on the size of that surface.
b. The direction of the electric flux, may it be inward or outward, is dependent on
the sign of the enclosed charge.
c. The charges outside the surface are negligible in determining the electric flux
through it.

Mathematically, electric flux can be calculated using the formula where E

is the electric field of the surface, A is the vector normal to the surface and θ is the angle
between E and A, which can be better visualized in Fig. 2.1.

Fig. 2.1. Electric flux through surface A

Lab Activity 2. Electric Flux and Gauss’s 1

Law
Moreover, Gauss’s Law helps us to fully understand how charges are distributed over a
conducting body. It can be described qualitatively as the total electric flux through a
closed surface being directly proportional to the total charge inside that surface and
independent

of the size or radius of that surface. Quantitatively, it is expressed as , where

Qencl is the total charge enclosed and 𝜀0 is the electric constant 8.85✕10-12 F/m.

Objectives
At the end of this laboratory activity, the students should be able to determine the
electric potential difference simulated in a section of a cylinder or a sphere.

Materials
● silver-ink pen
● compass
● carbon paper
● cork board
● metal thumbtacks
● alligator clips
● DC regulated power supply
● voltmeter/multimeter
● scientific calculator

Procedure
Part A: Experimental Approach
1. At the center of the carbon paper, draw a small circle with radius equal to 0.005 m
with the help of a compass and the silver-ink pen.
2. Draw a larger circle concentrically and this time with radius equal to 0.075 m.
3. Place the carbon paper on top of a cork board and stick one thumbtack on any
point on both circles.
4. Set the DC power regulator to 10 V and connect the thumb tack on the smaller circle
 to the regulator using alligator clips while the outer circle is connected to the
ground.
5. Using the voltmeter, measure the potential at eight different points (0.005, 0.015,
0.025, 0.035, 0.045, 0.055, 0.065, 0.075) along the radial lines between both
circles.
6. Record the measured electric potentials in column 1 of T able 2.1 at different points.
7. Plot the points on the space provided below, assigning the electric potential (Vr)
in volts and the radius (r) in meters to the x- and y-axis of the graph.

Reminder
Make sure to place the independent variable on the x-axis and the dependent variable on the y-axis.

Part B: Theoretical Approach

1. From the data in Table 2.1, calculate the theoretical electric potential at any
point between spheres and concentric cylinders.
2. In determining the theoretical electric potential between spheres, use the equation

where:
r is the distance from the center of the sphere given by the five different
points mentioned above;
R is the fixed radius of the outer sphere (r = 0.075 m);
Q value equal to 6.0✕10-12 C.

This will make the final equation to be: .

3. Next, calculate the electric potential as a function of radius for an oppositely
charged concentric cylinders using the formula

where:
R is the outer radius,
V(rc) is the electric potential as a function of r, and
𝜆 as the charge per unit length or the linear charge density (2.1✕10-10 C/m).
 The final formula to be used then would be: .
4. Record the answers in columns 3 and 4 of Table 2.1, respectively.
5. Lastly, plot the values in the same graph in, but this time, connect using a solid
line for cylindrical case and a dashed line for spherical case.

Safety Precaution
Remember to turn on the DC power regulator only when in use and make sure all connections are correct.

Data and Results

Table 2.1. Electric potential values at varying points along the radial lines

Theoretical Theoretical
Radius, r (m) Electric Potential, Electric Potential Electric Potential
V(r) (V) Between Spheres Between
V(rs) (V) Concentric
Cylinders V(rc) (V)

0.005
10.57V 10.07V 10.23V

0.015
4.33V 2.88V 6.08V

0.025
2.68V 1.44V 4.15V

0.035
1.33V 0.82V 2.88V

0.045
0.99V 0.48V 1.93V

0.055
0.45V 0.26V 1.17V

0.065
0.23V 0.11V 0.54V

0.075
0V 0V 0V

Electric potential vs radius graph

 12
10.57

10
electric potential (Vr)

6
4.33
4
2.68

2 1.33
0.99
0.45 0.23 0
0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08
radius (r)

Calculations
Use the space provided in calculating the theoretical electric potential between spheres

and concentric cylinders using the formulas and

, respectively.

6.0 x 10−12 C 2.1 x 10−10 C /m 0.075

V (r s )=( )( V (rc )= ln( )=
4 π E−12 2 4 π E0 0.005
0
6.0 x 10 C 2.1 x 10−10 C /m 0.075
V (r s )=( )( V (rc )= ln( ) = 6.08V
4 π E−12
0 2 4 π−10E0 0. 015
6.0 x 10 C 2.1 x 10 C /m 0.075
V (r s )=( )( V (rc )= ln( ) = 4.15V
4 π E0 2 4 π−10E0 −12 0. 025
2.1 x6.010 x 10C /mC 0.075
V (rcV)=(r s )=( ln)(( ) = 2.88V
2 4 π−10
4 Eπ0E−12 0. 035
2.1 x 10 C /m 0
0.075
V (rcV)= =( 6.0 x 10 Cln)(( ) = 1.93V
(r s ) 2 4 π−10
4 Eπ0E0 0. 04 5
2.1 x 10 C−12 /m 0.075
V (rcV)= =( 6.0 x 10 Cln)(( ) = 1.17V
(r s ) 2 4 π E 0. 055
2.1 x 104 πCE−12
0
0.075
−10
/m
0
V (rc )= 6.0 x 10 Cln( ) = 0.54V
V (r s )=(2 4 π−10E0 )( 0. 06 5
2.1 x 104 πCE−12 /m
0 0.075
V (rcV)= =( 6.0 x 10 Cln)(( ) = 0V
(r s ) 2 4 π4 Eπ0E 0. 07 5
0
Guide Questions
Answer the following questions.
1. How would you describe the graph of the electrical potential and radius values?

In describing the graph of the electric potential and radius values, it would be
linear graph. It was a linear since the values of electric potential and radius
values are constantly changing.

2. What relationship can be observed between the two variables used? Explain.

The
Therelationship
relationshipbetween
betweenthethetwo
twovariables
variablesininthe
thegraph
graphisisinversely
inverselyproportional.
proportional.
IfIfthe
thegiven
givenradius
radiusincreases,
increases,the
theelectric
electricpotential
potentialatatthe
thegiven
givenradius
radiusdecreases
decreases
upuptoto0.0.If the given radius is at the lowest point, the electric potential at the lowest
point of radius is at the highest value.

3. Between the concentric cylinder and sphere, which do you think may have a
similar rate of electric flux passing it as compared to your experimental data?

the concentric spheres could be summed up as an experimental law by stating

that the electric flux passing through any imaginary spherical surface lying
between the two conducting spheres is equal to the charge enclosed within that
imaginary surface. The experiment can be generalized to the following
statement, which is known as Gauss’s Law: “The electric flux passing through
any closed surface is equal to the total charge enclosed by that surface.”

4. Is it essential to calculate for the Q and λ values first before determining the electric
potential values? Why?

It is essential to calculate for the Q and λ values first before determining the
electric potential values because to calculate the electric potential, it must
first calculate the Theoretical Electric Potential Between Spheres and
Theoretical Electric Potential Between Concentric Cylinders.
 Conclusion

Since the electric field is equal to the rate of change of potential,

this implies that the voltage inside a conductor at equilibrium is
constrained to be constant at the value it reaches at the surface of
the conductor. A good example is the charged conducting sphere,
but the principle applies to all conductors at equilibrium.

Type equation here .

Bibliography
Bauer, W., and Gary D. Westfall. University Physics with Modern Physics. New York: McGraw-
Hill, 2013.

Hewitt, Paul G. 2010. Conceptual Physics (11th ed). New York: Pearson Education.

Knight, Randall Dewey. Physics for Scientists and Engineers: a Strategic Approach with
Modern Physics. Pearson, 2017.

Serway, Raymond A. and John W. Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern
Physics (9th ed). USA: Brooks/Cole, 2014.

Young, Hugh D., Roger A. Freedman, and A. Lewis Ford. Sears and Zemansky’s
University Physics with Modern Physics (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012.