Electric Potential and Electric Field II

Theory It is possible to use Gausss law to determine the electric field due to highly symmetric charge distributions. For a long, straight wire the electric field can be derived:
E= 2 k r r (1)

where k =

and 0 is the permittivity of free space, is the charge per unit length of 4 0 the wire, r is the distance from the center of the wire to the field point, and r gives the direction of the electric field.

The potential difference between two points can be determined if the electric field E between the two points is known:

V = E dl
a

(2)

where the quantity dl represent the path taken between the points a and b. This relationship can be inverted and the components of the electric field can be expressed in terms of derivatives such as
Ex = V x (3)

where denotes a partial derivative. That is, take the derivative but hold all other variables constant except the one you are differentiating with respect to. One arrangement of conductors in this lab will be coaxial rings. The inner ring will have an electric field described by equation (1) which when substituted into equation (2) can be integrated to find the potential difference between the inner ring of radius a and a second point a distance of r from the common center of the two rings:
r V (r ) = 2k ln (4) a It must be noted that the experiment is done with the probes submerged in water so equation (1) and (4) must be modified for the presence of water. Water is a dielectric material (a nonconductor) so we need to replace the permittivity of free space which is part of the constant k by 0 where is the dielectric constant.

For more information see Young and Freedman 22.3-4 and 23.2-5. This lab is a continuation of the previous weeks exercise.

Procedure Part 3: The Dipole Create a set of dipole conductors by using pennies and clamping them to the bottom of the tank with the long conducting braces provided with your equipment. Each connection between brace and penny must be tight. Put the centers of the pennies 12 cm apart, with the tank center halfway between the pennies. Trace six equipotential lines in one half of the tank. WARNING: because of the presence of the glass boundary, these equipotential lines will not look exactly like those of a dipole. When finished tracing the equipotential lines use the two-point probe to measure the electric field (magnitude and direction) at the locations specified on the board. Draw these electric field vectors on your paper. Part 4: Coaxial Rings Remove the pennies and the braces. Use the largest ring and the smallest ring to set up a pair of oppositely-charged coaxial rings; the leads for the signal generator should be connected directly to the rings using alligator clips. Based on the previous experiment, predict whether the cylinders will themselves be equipotentials. Make measurements to test your prediction and discuss the results. If your prediction is incorrect resolve the inconsistency between your prediction and your data. Select the inner ring as your location of zero potential and measure the rms voltage at five different radii (measured from the common axis all five radii should be larger than the radius of the inner ring and smaller than the radius of the outer ring); for each radius r, measure Vrms at angles of both 0 and 180. Enter these measurements in Graphical Analysis, creating the necessary columns to plot Vrms vs. ln(r). Your result should be linear; determine the slope and intercept, with errors, and state your result for Vrms(r) in your conclusions. Use the value of the slope to determine the charge per unit length on the inner ring and its error. Switch to the fixed spacing probe assembly to make measurements of the electric field between the two circles. Measure the electric field every 0.5 cm along two different radii. Record these E values as well as the distances r from the center of the circles (choose the r value at a point exactly in the middle of the probe tips). Represent the measured E values with little vectors on your sketch. Your measurements should start at the location of the inner cylinder Enter the measured E values and corresponding r values in Graphical Analysis. Make a plot of E vs. 1/r, making use of the calculated column option as needed. Use the slope of the straight-line relationship to make determination of the charge per unit length of the inner ring and its error. Measure the E-field outside the outermost cylinder. Is this result consistent with Gausss law?

Please note with the alternating current the charge per unit length is really varying in a sinusoidal fashion with a period of about 5 ms. Since you are measuring the rms voltage and E-field you are really determining the rms charge per unit length of the inner ring. To make this estimate, you must assume that the two cylinders are infinitely long. This assumption is not absurd because the space between the rings is filled with water, which is a reasonably good conductor, and because we are using AC. For either direction of the alternating current, charges quickly gather on the upper and lower surfaces of the water until the field in the water is purely radial, and radially symmetric, as it would be for infinitely long conductors.

Hints and Notes Remember to attach your drawings of the equipotentials for the dipole and the coaxial rings. Also include the plots of Vrms vs. ln(r) and E vs. 1/r. In addition to the questions asked above you should discuss your answers to the questions below. For the coaxial rings: From your data, what will be the shape of the equipotentials? Take additional readings if you are not sure. Is the fact that E is proportional to 1/r consistent with the linear dependence of the electric potential on ln(r)? Explain. Are your calculated values for , the charge per unit length, consistent with each other? For both parts: Is the electric field perpendicular or parallel to the equipotential lines you have drawn? In this experiment (and last weeks) you used two measuring probes. The single lead probe was used to measure the rms voltages and the two point probe was used to determine the electric field. Explain why the two-point probe is needed to measure the electric field.

Prelab for Electric Potential and Electric Field II Name:_________________________ Section day/time___________________

1. (10 points) From the potential map shown below estimate the electric field E at the point (x,y) = (2 mm, 1 mm). Draw the E vector on the map, and give Ex and Ey. The outer three equipotentials are labeled; the potential continues to increase by 2 V per equipotential as the radius of the equipotentials decreases.