Draw an arrow on the lines showing the direction of the electric field, E.
Overview
Learn how an electric field is created between parallel plates connected across a charged source.
Standards
Computational Thinking in STEM
- Data Practices
- Creating Data
- Modeling and Simulation Practices
- Using Computational Models to Understand a Concept
Credits
Unit designed by Neil Schmidgall a teacher at Glenbrook South.
Activities
- 1. None
- 2. Part A: Electric Field Lines
- 3. Part B: Point Charge
- 4. Part C: Target Shoot with a Charge stream.
- 5. Part D: Connections
Student Directions and Resources
Use a NetLogo model to investigate electrostatics.
1. None
When you hit setup the following characteristics update:
1. E-field Lines
2. Parallel Plate colors
When you hit setup and go the following characteristics update:
1. E-field Value and E-field vector
2. Force Value and Force vector
3. Charge in the field value and color of charge
4. Mass of the charge in the field and size of the charge
The positive plate and positive charge in the model will be Red. The negative plate and negative charge in the model will be Blue.
2. Part A: Electric Field Lines
When you hit setup the following characteristics update:
1. E-field Lines
2. Parallel Plate colors
When you hit setup and go the following characteristics update:
1. E-field Value and E-field vector
2. Force Value and Force vector
3. Charge in the field value and color of charge
4. Mass of the charge in the field and size of the charge
The positive plate and positive charge in the model will be Red. The negative plate and negative charge in the model will be Blue.
Question 2.1
Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below
Question 2.2
Click go in the model. Move the charge around to see how the electric field, E, value depends on the position of the point charge. Indicate where the electric field between plates is the strongest. If there is no variation in field strength, use the TEXT tool to say that in the field.
Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below
Question 2.3
Click go in the model. Move the charge around to see how the electrostatic force, Fe, value depends on the position of the point charge. Indicate where the electrostatic force on the point charge between plates is the strongest. If there is no variation in force, use the TEXT tool to say that in the field.
Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below
3. Part B: Point Charge
When you hit setup the following characteristics update:
1. E-field Lines
2. Parallel Plate colors
When you hit setup and go the following characteristics update:
1. E-field Value and E-field vector
2. Force Value and Force vector
3. Charge in the field value and color of charge
4. Mass of the charge in the field and size of the charge
The positive plate and positive charge in the model will be Red. The negative plate and negative charge in the model will be Blue.
Question 3.1
Hit setup and go. Compare an equivalent magnitude chargeCoefficient < 0 vs chargeCoefficient > 0. What happened to the electric field value when this was done?
Question 3.2
Determine what variable(s) change the electric field value, E. Select them below.
Field Strength
Charge Value
Sign on the Charge
Position in the field between plates
Charge Value
Sign on the Charge
Position in the field between plates
Question 3.3
Determine what variable(s) change the electric force, Fe, on the point charge. Select them from the list below.
Field Strength
Charge Value
Sign on the Charge
Position in the field between plates
Charge Value
Sign on the Charge
Position in the field between plates
4. Part C: Target Shoot with a Charge stream.
When you hit setup the following characteristics update:
1. E-field Lines
2. Parallel Plate colors
When you hit setup and go the following characteristics update:
1. E-field Value and E-field vector
2. Force Value and Force vector
3. Charge in the field value and color of charge
4. Mass of the charge in the field and size of the charge
The positive plate and positive charge in the model will be Red. The negative plate and negative charge in the model will be Blue.
In the current setup the force on the point charge is either right or left depending on electric field direction and charge. We want to introduce a stream of charges moving upward with initial velocity, chargeVelY, from the bottom center between the plates. Turn on the ChargeStream switch followed by setup and go. Change variable values to get a path that is not straight up the screen.
Question 4.1
Describe the shape of the path the charges take as they move from the bottom to the top of the screen if there is a y-velocity and a force in the perpendicular x-direction only.
Question 4.2
What part of physics that we studied in semester 1 does this remind you of? Be fairly specific.
Question 4.3
In the table below set up values for mass, chargeCoefficient, chargeExponent, chargeVelY, and strength that will allow your stream to hit the numbered targets at the top.
5. Part D: Connections
1. E-field Lines
2. Parallel Plate colors
When you hit setup and go the following characteristics update:
1. E-field Value and E-field vector
2. Force Value and Force vector
3. Charge in the field value and color of charge
4. Mass of the charge in the field and size of the charge
The positive plate and positive charge in the model will be Red. The negative plate and negative charge in the model will be Blue.
In the current setup the force on the point charge is either right or left depending on electric field direction and charge. We want to introduce a stream of charges moving upward with initial velocity, chargeVelY, from the bottom center between the plates. Turn on the ChargeStream switch followed by setup and go. Change variable values to get a path that is not straight up the screen.
Question 5.1
If the stream of charges is hitting target 1 and you want to hit target 3, choose All that Apply from the statements below that would cause this.
Increase mass.
Decrease mass.
Increase chargeVelY.
Decrease chargeVelY.
Increase the magnitude of the charge.
Decrease the magnitude of the charge.
Change the charge from positive to negative
Change the charge from negative to positive
Increase the electric field value in the same direction.
Decrease the electric field value in the same direction.
Change the direction of the electric field vector.
Decrease mass.
Increase chargeVelY.
Decrease chargeVelY.
Increase the magnitude of the charge.
Decrease the magnitude of the charge.
Change the charge from positive to negative
Change the charge from negative to positive
Increase the electric field value in the same direction.
Decrease the electric field value in the same direction.
Change the direction of the electric field vector.
Question 5.2
If the stream of charges is hitting target 1 and you want to hit target 7, choose All that Apply from the statements below that would cause this.
Increase mass.
Decrease mass.
Increase chargeVelY.
Decrease chargeVelY.
Increase the magnitude of the charge.
Decrease the magnitude of the charge.
Change the charge from positive to negative
Change the charge from negative to positive
Increase the electric field value in the same direction.
Decrease the electric field value in the same direction.
Change the direction of the electric field vector.
Decrease mass.
Increase chargeVelY.
Decrease chargeVelY.
Increase the magnitude of the charge.
Decrease the magnitude of the charge.
Change the charge from positive to negative
Change the charge from negative to positive
Increase the electric field value in the same direction.
Decrease the electric field value in the same direction.
Change the direction of the electric field vector.
