Experiment #1: Electric Field in a Cylindrical Capacitor

Show Calculations and Units

Voltage across the two cylinders 10V.

Radius of the inner cylinder 0.5cm.
Radius of the outer cylinder 8.0cm.

Theoretical Calculations Experimental Measurements

F Calculate Eexp using the values of ∆x and ∆V
λ=2.0065 ×10−10 C × m−1 F Compare (% error) Eexp to Eth

r Eth r ∆x ∆V Eexp % Error

180.334 V/m 186 V/m 3.14%
0.02m 0.02m 0.01m 1.86V
90.167 V/m 85 V/m 5.73%
0.04m 0.04m 0.01m 0.85V
64 V/m 6.47%
0.06m 60.111 V/m 0.06m 0.01m 0.64V
0.0 V/m
0.11m 0.01m 0.00V
Question: Describe what happens outside of the outer ring. Does this make sense? Why?
Outside the outer ring, since there is no electric field, of the cylindrical capacitor measure
voltage is equal to zero. This is because the electric field is concentrated between the two rings
of the capacitor. The fields of the opposite sign, positive and negative, cancel each other due to
superposition outside of the ring, as well as inside the inner ring.