Georgia State University

• PHYS 1112L

• Electric Field Mapping The objective of this lab is to successfully map out the electric fields for three different electrode set up (rectangular, circular, and concentric). Also, the students will learn how to properly use a voltmeter to determine the direction of the electric field based on the different voltage given in the procedure. Background: The electric field is defined as the electrical force per unit of charge at a given point in space. The way to measure the electric field is to take a very small positive test charge, and measure the force on it due to the source charges around it. Which is at each point in space, measure the force on the test charge, and then simply define the electric field (E) to be the force exerted on the test charge (F) divided by: In any region of space where electric forces are exerted on any electric charges, can be found an electric field. By convention the direction of the electric field is the direction of the force that the test charge experiences. The electric field (which is a vector field) is mapped or visualized its direction by lines of force. A line of force is an imaginary line in space along which the test particle would move under the influence of the mapped electrostatic field; at any point, the tangent to the line of force gives the electric field at that point. The work done per unit charge to transfer the charge into an electric field which is defined as electric potential ∆V= W q We can say that within the electric field there is the potential for work to be done. This potential is dependent upon the electric field strength and the distance (d) covered.