Lab Part 1

A. Charge Measurement and Conservation

1. Click the green “collect” button to begin data collection, then lightly rub the charge
producers together (two or three light strokes) and insert the blue one into the ice pail,
being careful not to touch the pail with the charged disk. Note the magnitude and direction
of the output of the sensor on the graph. (Note that the graph output should return to
zero when the charge disk is removed). Is the charge on the blue charge producer
positive or negative?
The blue charge producer has a negative charge.

2. After removing the blue disk insert the white one into the ice pail, being careful again
not to touch the pail with the charged disk. Note the magnitude and direction of the
graphed sensor output (Note that the graph output should return to zero when the disk
is removed). Is the charge on the white charge producer positive or negative?
The white charge producer has a positive charge.

3. Ground out each charge producer and zero the meter and yourself.

4. Repeat step 1, but this time touch the blue charge producer to the inside of the ice pail
before removing it. Record observations.
The blue charge producer when touching the inside of the ice pail gained an even greater negative charge.

5. Without grounding the ice pail, now insert the white charge producer into the ice pail,
and touch it to the inside. Record your observations.
The white charge producer when touching the inside of the ice pail gained an even greater positive charge.

Questions:
1. What can you conclude about the charge induced on the ice pail compared to the charge
on the object?
We can conclude that the charge induced on the ice pail compared to the charge on the object is induced by
the presence of charged objects although the charge depends on the charge producer inserted.

We can see this in effect as we hover the blue charge producer within the ice pail as the charge is recorded
as negative. When we touched the inside of the ice pail with it, the charge recorded increased negatively.
Vice versa for the white charge producer as it was negative.

This proves that the charge induced on the ice pail is dependent on the object inserted.

2. Do you have enough evidence in your readings to support the law of charge conservation?
Explain what you think happens when you rub the charge “producers” together?

When you rub the producers together the electrons are transferred between the two. So as one gains
electrons the other one loses them. So yes, there is enough evidence. We can see this when the blue charge
producer touches the ice pail (gains an even greater charge), we can see this when the white charge
producer touches the pail too (gains even greater positive charge). This supports the Law of charge
conservation.

3. Is charge actually “produced” or are plus and minus charges only separated?

Charge isn’t actually produced, the electrons simply move from one to the other, polarizing the two
producers. This creates a separation where one gains electrons and the other one loses electrons, creating a
net positive and a net negative charge on the other.
Lab Part 2

B. Induced Charge on a Conductor

1. With the power supply turned off, connect one of the aluminum spheres to the +3000
volt D.C. terminal output of the power supply. Manipulate the spheres only by lifting the
base, being careful not to touch the metallic sphere or the insulating support rod with your
hands in the process.

2. Place the other sphere (isolated) about one cm from the first one - not touching it. Then
turn on the power supply (a device which removes negative (-) charges from the sphere
giving it a net positive charge).
3. Using the proof plane (the uncoated aluminum disk on an insulated handle) touch the
isolated sphere at various places (not touching the charged sphere) with the flat surface of
the proof plane and measure the charge that is transferred to the proof plane from each
point of the sphere (which is proportional to the local charge on the sphere). Do not touch
the pail or ground with the proof plane between measurements.

4. Sketch the charge distribution on the sphere using (+) and (-) symbols and the
Charge sensor graph reading to indicate magnitude for all points marked “x” on the
isolated sphere as indicated in Fig.2.

5. Move the isolated sphere well away from the charged sphere and touch the isolated
sphere to the electrical ground to remove any residual charge. (Check to be sure its net
charge is zero using the proof plane and ice pail.)

6. Now move the isolated sphere close to the charged sphere without touching
it. Assuming the charge distribution to be similar to that of 4, choose a point that has the
maximum positive charge and touch it momentarily with a wire connected to ground.

7. Turn off the power supply and, without allowing them to touch, move the spheres well
apart again.

8. With the proof plane and the ice pail, measure the sign and magnitude of any residual
charge on the isolated sphere.

Questions:
1. How did you place a charge on the isolated sphere without contacting the charged
sphere? If charge is conserved, where did this charge come from?
We placed a charge on the isolated sphere without touching it by using a method of induction involving
ground. Charge is conserved because excess electrons were gathered from ground. Since prior to this
experiment, both spheres were neutral, if we add the charge of the two spheres after the experiment, we
should still get a value that is approximately equal to 0. The electrons from ground travel to the isolated
sphere until the negative charges balance out the positive sphere.

2. Explain the charge distribution of the isolated sphere in steps 3 and 4.

By charging one of the spheres with a constant 3000V, we ensure that it maintains an overall positive charge.
Since the isolated metal sphere is a conductor, the free moving electrons all collectively gather as close to
the positively charged sphere as possible. This leaves all the newly ionized cations being repelled as far as
possible from the positively charged metal sphere.
it should be a uniformly negatively charged sphere because the negative charges would distribute themselves evenly
throughout the isolated sphere (for 8)
3. Explain the results obtained for step 8.
The charge of the isolated sphere becomes uniformly negative because when a wire that is connected to
ground in step 6 touches the isolated sphere, positive charge from the isolated sphere flows into the ground
to balance the overall charge of both spheres. After disconnecting from ground and separating the spheres,
the isolated sphere is left with a uniformly negative charge.

I based my answer off this pic, idk if its right

Id say this diagram is a better one:

Ur hand technically works as ground too, but it's nowhere near as efficient as the ground we had in lab