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ELECTRIC POTENTIAL & FIELD MAPS

PURPOSE: To map and study the equipotential lines and electric field lines around
two electrically charged conductors.

APPARATUS: DC power supply, voltmeter, field map board

INTRODUCTION: The electric field E at a point is the force per unit charge on a test
charge located at that point. It is numerically equal to the force on a unit (one Coulomb)
positive test charge. Because similar charges repel each other, a positive test charge
placed near another positive charge experiences a repulsive force, and the field due to a
positive charge points away from the charge. The field direction near a negative charged
object is towards the object.

Electric-field lines: Electric field lines are a way of visualizing the electric field near
charged objects. Field lines define the direction of the force that a positive "test" charge
experiences near other charges. The field lines are also used to define the magnitude of
the electric field. The lines are drawn such that their density (the number of lines that
cross a unit area) is proportional to the magnitude of E.

Rather than trying to measure electric fields directly, it is easier to measure the electrical
potential near the charges. This is an easier measurement because electric potential does
not have a direction (it’s a scalar) and can be measured with a voltmeter. The electrical
potential is the potential energy of the test charge divided by the test charge.

Equipotential lines: Consider a test charge that is made to move in the presence of one or
more other charges in such a direction that it does not experience any change in electrical
potential energy. The path of this test charge is perpendicular to the electric field at every
point of its motion, and is called an equipotential line. No work is done to move the test
charge; its potential energy does not change. We define electrical potential as the
electrical potential energy divided by the test charge. The unit of electrical potential is the
Volt. Work against the electric field happens only when the charge is moved with a
component parallel to the E field; thus, equipotential lines are perpendicular to the E
field. Devices that measure electric potential are voltmeters which are inexpensive and
readily available. The equipotential lines, V, measured with the voltmeter can then be
used to map the electric field lines, E.

From the definitions of E and V it follows that:

• Electric field lines at any location are perpendicular to the equipotential lines.
• Electric field lines go from higher to lower potential.
• Electric fields are vectors: they define force directions.

Some properties of electrically charged conductors in electrostatic equilibrium:

• All points on the conductor's surface are at the same potential.
• The electric field at a conductor's surface is perpendicular at each point to
the surface (since the entire conductor surface is at the same potential).
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• The electric field at the surface of a charged conductor is large at a sharp

point (a convex region with small radius of curvature).

Consider the point P near the positive charge in Figure 1. The electric field lines and the
associated equipotential lines are shown. At point P you measure E = 40 N/C pointing
to the right and V = +200V. What do these quantities mean? If a charge of +1.0
nanocoulomb (1 nC = 10-9 C) is brought to this point, the electric force on the charge is
Fe = qE = [10-9 C] x[40N/C] = 4x10-8 N to the right.

FIGURE 1

The value of the electric potential, V = +200 V, means that the work required to bring a
charge of +1x10-9 C from the location where the electric potential is zero up to 200 V is
W = qV = [1 x 10-9] x [200 J/C] = +2.0x10-7 J.
An electric field can be expressed in units of Volts per meter, as well as in units of
Newtons per Coulomb. The field can be written as E = 40 N/C = 40 V/m to the right.
This means that if you make a small 1 cm displacement along the direction of E, the
electric potential drops by 0.40 volt, from 200.0 V to 199.6 V. In general, E= -∆V/∆s,
where ∆s is a small displacement along the direction of E and ∆V is the corresponding
change in electric potential; the minus sign says that V drops along the direction of E .

CALCULATING THE ELECTRIC POTENTIAL: In class you have learned that the
potential due to a number of charges can be found by adding up the potential at the point
of interest due to each charge. In two dimensions this can be written

1 Qi
V=
4 πε o
∑ (1)
i (xi − xo ) + (yi − y o )2
2
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where (xo, yo) is the point of interest and (xi, yi) is the location of the charge Qi. This is
simply Coulomb’s law expressed in terms of potential rather than electric field.

MAPPING PROCEDURE: You will measure electric potential and draw equipotential
lines for three different configurations of oppositely charged conductors:

1. two parallel plates (a capacitor);

2. two points;
3. a hollow circular conductor between oppositely charged parallel plates.

Figure 3 shows the experimental arrangement for simulating the electric field between
two point charges. A dc power supply set just under 20 volts is connected across the two

FIGURE 3

conductors. A digital multimeter set to read DC voltage on the 20 V scale (if the applied
voltage exceeds 20 V the DMM will always read 1) has its negative lead fixed to the
negative electrode; the positive meter lead may be touched to any point on the high-
resistance conducting sheet (centimeter grid) to measure the electric potential at that
point.

Electric charges flow from one electrode to the other through the conducting sheet; this
situation simulates very closely that of two charged electrodes in electrostatic
equilibrium.

For each configuration you will locate and plot four equipotential lines, namely at 4V,
8V, 12V, and 16V. (All points of one conductor are at 0V; all points of the other at (just
under) +20V. Check it! Indicate on the field plot the polarity of each electrode, + or -.
The potential is measured on the black conducting sheet; the data are to be entered in
an EXCEL spreadsheet. First measure points on a 2 or 3 cm grid to get a rough outline
of the voltages. Then try to follow equipotential lines and note the location every cm or
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so. For the parallel strip electrodes measure potential beyond and to the sides of the
electrode region. For the circular electrode between parallel strips make measurements
inside the ring to test shielding. For the two points electrode configuration measure
behind the points as well as between, to map the dipole (two-pole) shape. In all cases be
careful to take sufficient additional data to define the shape of the equipotential lines and
corresponding E field lines close to the conducting electrodes.

To simplify plotting it is a good idea to scan along straight centimeter grid lines. Since
each configuration is symmetrical, it will be sufficient to measure one side (left or right)
and to sketch the other side symmetrically. Touch with the probe; don't gouge the black
paper. do not write on or scratch the paper. Replacement is very costly.

Connect points at the same potential with smooth lines to produce equipotential lines.
Label the potentials. Draw the associated electric-field in a different color. The E field
lines should be everywhere perpendicular to the equipotential lines, from the defining
relation between E and V. The direction of E is toward decreasing potential V. Indicate
the direction of the E field lines on your plot.

APPENDIX: MAKING A 3D GRAPH:

The 3D plotting routine in EXCEL will plot the value of a cell on the z-axis and the
location of the cell as the x and y location. For example, if cell C11 has the value 17,
then EXCEL will plot x = 11, y = 3, and z = 17. To make a 3D plot, highlight the cells
you want to plot, and click on the plotting wizard (next to the help button in the menus).
Then click and drag to select the size and location of the plot which will be superimposed
on the spreadsheet. The wizard will open five windows asking you questions about the
plot. Choose the 3D plot and answer the other questions. Note that when you answer the
questions, you don’t have to wait for the 3D graph to be plotted each time (which can be
very slow). The plot may not have a good orientation to view the potential surface. To
change the orientation, click twice on the graph. This will open a file in which the graph
can be rotated. To do this click on one of the axes. Handles will appear on the axes.
Click and drag the axis to the new orientation.
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ELECTRIC POTENTIALS & FIELD MAPS

Name:__________________________________________________ Section: _________

Partner:__________________________________________________ Date: __________

You may do the maps in any order. Refer to the procedure above. Your answers should
be brief, well-written sentences. Include in your write-up an EXCEL printout showing
your data, the equipotential lines and electric field lines for each configuration (use two
different colors ink or pencil). For the parallel plate configuration use EXCEL to prepare
a 3-D graph of potential vs. x and y.

Configuration One: TWO PARALLEL PLATES

a) Describe the central electric field (E) shape.

b) Does the electric field extend beyond the edges of the plates?

Configuration Two: TWO OPPOSITE POINT CHARGES

a) Where is the electric field most nearly uniform?

b) What is the central equipotential shape?

c) What is the equipotential shape close to "point" electrode?

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Configuration Three: HOLLOW CIRCULAR CONDUCTOR

a) Is there a net charge on the circular conductor? (Give argument based on field pattern
shape. See discussion pages 1 to 2).

b) What is E inside the circle?

c) What is V on the conductor ring? And, what is V inside the ring?

Report:

Your report will be due at the start of class next week. Attach all plots and answer the
questions above. You may handwrite the answers on this handout, but please write
neatly.