REPORT 2 - ELECTRIC FIELDS AND EQUIPOTENTIALS

Paniz Hatampour
Farnaz Aghakhani
Sheida Lorestani
Mehdi Balouchi

March 5 / 2022
Objectives

For this lab, we inspect the the equipotential lines between two parallel plate
conductors and concentric cylindrical electrodes. From these equipotential lines,
we can infer the direction and estimated magnitude of the electric fields.

Procedure
Parallel plate electrodes
This configuration consists of two straight plates as electrodes placed in parallel on
a conducting paper. The two electrodes are then connected to a power supply of 8
volts. After that, we measure the potentials at a set of points and marked them with
white pen.

Figure 1: Parallel plates configuration.

Concentric cylindrical electrodes
This configuration consists of a ring and a disc as electrodes. They are placed
concentrically on a conducting paper. The two electrodes are then connected to a
power supply of 8 volts. After that, we measure the potentials at a set of points and
marked them with white pen.

Figure 2: Concentric cylindrical configuration

Data

After measuring the electric potential at various points, we mark them with white
pen and connect the points on the same equipotential lines. The direction of the
electric field in both configurations can be determined from these lines.

Parallel plate electrode

Figure 3: Equipotential lines and electric field vectors for the parallel plates configuration.
Figure 4: Electric potential and estimated electric field acquired from parallel plates configuration. The uncertainty
of s and x is obtained by halving the smallest division of the ruler. The uncertainty of E is obtained by finding the
range of E from the range of ∆s.

Concentric cylindrical electrodes

Figure 5: Equipotential lines and electric field vectors for the concentric electrodes configuration.
 Figure 6: Electric potential and estimated electric field acquired from concentric electrodes configuration. The
uncertainty of r and x is obtained by halving the smallest division of the ruler. The uncertainty of E is obtained by
finding the range of E from the range of ∆r.

Result

Parallel plate electrodes

In order to assess the accuracy of the measured electric potential and electric field
values shown in figure 4, we compare them to the results of the following
equations:
In which, d = 0.214 m, s is substituted with values in the first column, and x is
substituted with values in the last column in figure 4.

Figure 7: Result calculated using equations (1) and (2).

In the following graphs, the measured values in figure 4 are plotted as points and
the predicted results in figure 7 are plotted as a smooth curve.
Figure 8: V versus s graph for parallel plate configuration.

Figure 9: E versus x graph for parallel plate configuration.

Concentric cylindrical electrodes
In order to assess the accuracy of the measured electric potential and electric field
values shown in figure 6, we compare them to the results of the following
equations:

In which RA = 0.02 m, RB = 0.06 m, s is substituted with values in the first

column, and x is substituted with values in the last column in figure 6.

Figure 10: Result calculated using equations (3) and (4).

In the following graphs, the measured values in figure 6 are plotted as points and
the predicted results in figure 10 are plotted as a smooth curve.

Figure 11: V versus r graph for concentric electrodes configuration.

 Figure 12: E versus x graph for concentric electrodes configuration.

Discussion
Next, we will discuss about the agreement between the experimental data and the
predicted results in both configurations. The graph V versus s of the first
configuration (figure 8) shows that the experimental values follow the linearity of
the predicted line. However, the graph E versus x (figure 9) does not show a
smooth match between the experimental data with the constant line of electric
field. This might be due to the fact that the those electric field values are estimated
roughly from the rate of change between two discrete equipotential line with
respect to their distance, instead of taking derivative on a continuous set of
equipotential lines. Nevertheless, the avarage of these estimated points are actually
pretty close to the constant line (37.5 V/m).
In the second configuration, both of the graph V versus r (figure 11) and E versus x
(figure 12) shows a high degree of agreement between the experimental data and
the predicted curves. However, taking a closer look to the latter graph shows that
there are some large inaccuracies in the first few points. The best explanation for
this is that when using our estimating method at the points closer to the disc, a
small change in the distance may cause a big difference in the electric field. To
illustrate, for r = 0.003 m, the estimated electric field will be 333.3 V/m. For r =
0.002 m, the estimated electric field will be 500 V/m. Given that the instrument for
measuring distance is not very precise and there are always small human errors in
reading the values, this inaccuracy is inevitable.

Answer the rest of the questions

1-
The maximum rate of change of potential while going from one equipotential
surface to other ( next) gives the direction and strength of the corresponding field.
When we go away from the source of the field, usually field strength decreases , so
above mentioned rate of change in potential decreases. This suggests more
separation between equipotentials.

3-
They'll repel which is the usual behaviour of two same charges. It's a basic law of
Physics that like or same charges repel and opposite charges attracts whenever they
are in close proximity to each other.
4-
The field is the (negative) slope of the potential. There is no reason that a zero
slope is connected to a zero height. In other words: the potential might be 1000000
Volts at a given point and, if that voltage does not change as you move away in
some direction, the field in that direction is zero.
5-
Yes. If the electric potential is constant.
Electric field lines flow from areas of higher potential to areas of lower potential.
So if electric potential is constant, there will be no field produced.
Mathematically,
V= -∫ E.dr
So if V is a constant, means E is 0.

7-
the electrons in a real conductor are never completely stationary.
The absolute-static model is only for absolute perfect conductors and real life is not
perfect.
The result is that real conductors can have a small electric field inside them to
some extent. Typically within a micron or so of the “surface”.
However, the model is very good… we do not need individual electrons to be
stationary for the overall charge distribution to be very nearly static because the
scale of the fluctuations are very small. One electron moves “out of place” means
another electron moves into place…. and the overall distribution is about the same
on average.
It’s like how you can roll 3 dice and add them up, and the number is different each
time … but the average over lots of these is about 10.