GENERAL PHYSICS 2

QUARTER 3: PERFORMANCE TASK# 2

Charges and Fields PhET Lab

Name: ASHLEY NICOLE CABORNAY Grade/Strand: 12-STEM Date: 03-10-23 Rating: ______

Objective: To understand the interaction of electric charges, determine the direction and magnitude of electric field
strength and identify the magnitude of electric potential due to a series of point charges.

Procedure: Open Charges and Field simulation http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/charges-and-fields and click the
play arrow.

PART 1: POINT SOURCE CHARGE

1. From the box at the bottom of the screen, drag and drop a +1 nC charge onto the middle of the Positive Charge
box as shown below and draw the field lines. Note that relative field strength is indicated by the brightness of the
arrows, not by their length, and that your field lines should be continuous (either originating on the source charge
or terminating on the source charge).
Which way do the arrows point for a positive charge?
The positive charge is pointed outward by the arrows.
2. Clear the field and repeat the procedure with a -1 nC source charge.
Which way do the electric field arrows point for a negative charge?
The positive charge is pointed outward by the arrows.

Note: You may draw or copy and paste the screenshot on the box.

POSITIVE CHARGE NEGATIVE CHARGE

Positive Charge Negative Charge

3. Drag and drop an E-Field (yellow)Sensor and place it in several random locations “around the face of the clock”

(in the style of the spots below) at various distances from either sign source charge. Use the voltmeter (click the
pencil icon) to determine the electric potential at each location, labeling each spot as you go. Be sure to include the
sign of the potential. Repeat the procedure with a negative source charge.
 Note: You may draw (complete illustration) or copy and paste your screenshot on the boxes.

Positive Source Charge: E-Field Sensor

Negative Source Charge: E-Field Sensor

PART I SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

A positively charged particle exhibits outward-pointing arrows, indicating that the force it produces is directed away from
the particle. Conversely, a negatively charged particle displays inward-pointing arrows, signifying that the force it
generates is directed towards the particle. Moreover, the strength of the force exerted on a sensor by the particle
decreases as the distance between them increases, while the force becomes more potent as the sensor moves closer to
the particle.
PART 2: ELECTRIC DIPOLE

(If you want to reset the screen, click on the orange circle arrow in the bottom right corner. Do this before each part of
activity)

1. How can you make a charge of +2q? How can you make a charge of -3q?
By connecting two positive q charges to form a charge of +2q. Thus, by arranging three negative q charges
close to each other, a charge of -3q is formed.

2. Determine what charges (magnitude and positive/negative) would give you the electric field lines shown below?
(You may need to try different combinations to determine the magnitudes of each charge.)

If I use a positively or negatively charged particle, I will obtain the same arrows above.

3. When you have two opposite but equal magnitude charges along a horizontal line (similar to the picture above),
where is the electric field the greatest? Is there ever a point where the field will be zero?
The electric field is strongest at the middle of the two charges. there is a point on the line where the electric
field will be zero. At this point, the electric field vectors due to the two charges are equal in magnitude and
opposite in direction, resulting in a net electric field of zero.

4. When you have two of the same charges along a horizontal line, where is the electric field the greatest? Is there
ever a point where the field will be zero?
The electric field is strongest at the point midway between two opposed but equal magnitude charges positioned
along a horizontal line.
5. Determine what charge/charges (magnitude and positive/negative) would give each the lines of equipotential
shown below?
(For each situation, turn the ‘Electric Field’ on and off to see how the electric field lines compare to the
equipotential lines)

a) b)

Ans: +2g Ans: -3g

 c) Ans: Left: -2q. Right: +2q

d) Ans:+ 3q, +3q

6. When you have two opposite but equal magnitude charges along a horizontal line (similar to the picture above),
where is the potential the greatest? Is there ever a point where the potential will be zero?
As it move away from the charges, the electric potential increases, and it decreases as you approach the midpoint
between the charges. In other words, the electric potential is higher at points farther away from the charges, and it
diminishes as you move towards the point equidistant from the charges.
7. When you have two of the same charges along a horizontal line, where is the potential the greatest? Is there ever
a point where the potential will be zero?
the potential is higher at points closer to the charges and diminishes as you move away from them.

PART II SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION:

Experience shows that the presence of electric fields affects the behavior of charged particles. Charged particles move in
response to the electric force of the electric field, and the trajectory of their movement can be predicted with the help of
electrostatic principles. The PhET Charges and Fields course provides a valuable tool for understanding the behavior of
electric charges and fields and their interactions. The simulation allows users to learn the basic principles of electrostatics
and gain a deeper understanding of the behavior of charged particles in different environments.