Electric Fields — iLearnSTEM Labs

iLearnSTEM Labs

labs.ilearnstem.ca — Virtual Science Laboratories

Ontario Curriculum · Grades 9–12Beta

Electric Fieldsprobe

A +2.0 µCB offr 29.2 cmE (probe) 211.5 kV/m

The gold lines are the field — born on positive charge, buried in negative, thinning as 1/r². The green arrow is the superposition at the puck.

Physics Lab 10 · Electric Fields — E = kq/r², superposed · the trail is F = qE, integrated live · drag to orbit, scroll to zoom

Source charges

Source A on the table

Charge A2.0 µC

E = kq/r² — double the charge, double the field everywhere.

Source A position (from centre)

↔ x-15 cm

↕ z0 cm

Source B on the table

Charge B2.0 µC

Second source for superposition — the net field is the vector sum, and somewhere two like fields cancel exactly.

Source B position (from centre)

↔ x15 cm

↕ z0 cm

Test puck

Puck charge (20 g)0.10 µC

F = qE — the puck multiplies the field; its sign picks the direction.

Puck position (the probe point)

↔ x0 cm

↕ z25 cm

Sim speed

What the bench is doing

Probe mode — the green arrow is the superposed field at the puck: 211.5 kV/m. Release it and the same field produces the motion.