M6 Physics Lab
docx
keyboard_arrow_up
School
Rutgers University *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
124H
Subject
English
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
5
Uploaded by ChefFang1933
M6. Lab: The Electrostatic Force
Nitin Gowda
Ocean County College
PHYS-282 2023L3
Professor Robert I. Ochs, Ph.D.
June 12, 2023
Introduction
Coulomb's Law is a fundamental principle in the field of electromagnetism that describes the force
between charged particles. It provides a quantitative relationship between the magnitude of the force
and the distance separating the charged objects, as well as the magnitudes of their charges. This law,
named after French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, is essential for understanding the behavior
of electrically charged particles and plays a crucial role in various scientific and technological
applications.
According to Coulomb's Law, the magnitude of the electrostatic force between two point charges is
directly proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between them. Mathematically, this relationship can be expressed as:
F = k * (q1 * q2) / r^2
where F represents the magnitude of the electrostatic force, k is the electrostatic constant, q1 and q2
are the magnitudes of the charges, and r is the distance between the charges. The value of the
electrostatic constant, k, depends on the medium surrounding the charges and is given by k = 8.99 ×
10^9 Nm^2/C^2. (Ling, Sanny, & Moebs, 2021)
Experimental Details
An online simulation was used to observe the properties of Coulomb’s law. A screenshot of the
simulator is displayed in Figure 1. The simulator consists of parameters that control the magnitude of
the charge along with toggles for force values and scientific notation. The simulator also lets you control
the distance between charges as well as move a ruler to measure distance. 1.
Set up the simulation by placing two charged objects of known charges on the workspace.
2.
Adjust the distance between the objects to a desired value.
3.
Measure the electrostatic force acting on the objects using the interactive force sensor in the
simulation.
4.
Record the force and the corresponding distance between the charges in a data table.
5.
Repeat steps 2-4 for different distances to obtain multiple data points.
6.
Calculate the predicted values of the electrostatic force using Coulomb's Law and record them in
the data table.
Figure 1. Screenshot of the Ideal Gas Simulator.
Results
The M2 lab requires the simulation to be run and information obtained to confirm three gas laws:
Boyle’s Law, Charles’ Law, and Gay-Lussac’s Law…
Experimental
Trial
Distance
(cm)
Q1
(micro
C)
Q2
(micro
C)
Experimental
Force (N)
Predicted
Force (N) Percentage
difference
(%)
1
10
+1
-1
0.899
0.899
0
2
10
-1
-1
0.899
0.899
0
3
10
1
1
0.899
0.899
0
4
6
-5
1
12.5
12.49
0.080032
5
4
4
-6
135
134.85
0.111173
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help
Discussion
The experimental results obtained from the simulation align closely with the predicted values based on
Coulomb's Law. As the distance between the charged objects increased, the electrostatic force
decreased, following the inverse square relationship predicted by Coulomb's Law. This observation
supports the fundamental nature of electrostatic forces and validates the application of Coulomb's Law
in predicting the behavior of charged particles.
The slight discrepancies between the experimental and predicted values could be attributed to the
limitations of the simulation, such as potential inaccuracies in measuring the force using the interactive
sensor. Additionally, the simulation assumes an idealized scenario without considering external factors
such as electromagnetic interference or the presence of other charged objects in the vicinity. From the
above findings we can say that the the experiments were successful in proving Coulomb’s laws.
Conclusion
Through this study, we successfully investigated Coulomb's Law and confirmed its validity in describing
the electrostatic force between charged objects. The experimental results aligned with the predicted
values based on the inverse square relationship, demonstrating the fundamental nature of electrostatic
forces. This understanding has important implications in various scientific and technological fields,
providing a foundation for studying the behavior of charged particles and designing applications such as
electrical circuits and particle accelerators. References
Ling, S. J., Sanny, J., & Moebs, W. (2021). University Physics Volume 2.
Houston, TX: OpenStax.