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Experiment3Electrostatics
APPARATUS

Heatlamp
Timer
TwoLuciterods
Roughplasticrod
Silk
Catfur
Standwithstirrupholder
Pithballsonhanger
Electroscope
Electrophorus
Coulomb'sLaw(chargingpadsnotneeded)

INTRODUCTION

Thisexperimentconsistsofmanyshortdemonstrationsinelectrostatics.Inmostoftheexercises,youdonottakedata,
butrecordashortdescriptionofyourobservations.Ifhighhumidityconditionspreventyoufromcompletingcertainparts,
youmaytrythemagainnextweekwiththeVandeGraaffexperiments.

THEORY

Thefundamentalconceptinelectrostaticsiselectricalcharge.Weareallfamiliarwiththefactthatrubbingtwomaterials
togetherforexample,arubbercomboncatfurproducesastaticcharge.Thisprocessiscalledchargingby
friction.Surprisingly,theexactphysicsoftheprocessofchargingbyfrictionispoorlyunderstood.However,itisknown
thatthemakingandbreakingofcontactbetweenthetwomaterialstransfersthecharge.

Thechargedparticleswhichmakeuptheuniversecomeinthreekinds:positive,negative,andneutral.Neutralparticles
donotinteractwithelectricalforces.Chargedparticlesexertelectricalandmagneticforcesononeanother,butifthe
chargesarestationary,themutualforceisverysimpleinformandisgivenbyCoulomb'sLaw:

\begin{eqnarray}F_{\textrm{E}}&=&kqQ/r^2,\end{eqnarray}

where\(F_{\textrm{E}}\)istheelectricalforcebetweenanytwostationarychargedparticleswithcharges\(q\)and\(Q\)
(measuredincoulombs),\(r\)istheseparationbetweenthecharges(measuredinmeters),and\(k\)isaconstantof
nature(equalto9109Nm2/C2inSIunits).

ThestudyoftheCoulombforcesamongarrangementsofstationarychargedparticlesiscalledelectrostatics.Coulomb's
Lawdescribesthreepropertiesoftheelectricalforce:

1.Theforceisinverselyproportionaltothesquareofthedistancebetweenthecharges,andisdirectedalongthe
straightlinethatconnectstheircenters.

2.Theforceisproportionaltotheproductofthemagnitudeofthecharges.

3.Twoparticlesofthesamechargeexertarepulsiveforceoneachother,andtwoparticlesofoppositechargeexert
anattractiveforceoneachother.

Mostofthecommonobjectswedealwithinthemacroscopic(humansized)worldareelectricallyneutral.Theyare
composedofatomsthatconsistofnegativelychargedelectronsmovinginquantummotionaroundapositivelycharged
nucleus.Thetotalnegativechargeoftheelectronsisnormallyexactlyequaltothetotalpositivechargeofthenuclei,so
theatoms(andthereforetheentireobject)havenonetelectricalcharge.Whenwechargeamaterialbyfriction,weare
transferringsomeoftheelectronsfromonematerialtoanother.

Materialssuchasmetalsareconductors.Eachmetalatomcontributesoneortwoelectronsthatcanmoverelativelyfreely
throughthematerial.Aconductorwillcarryanelectricalcurrent.Othermaterialssuchasglassareinsulators.Their
electronsareboundtightlyandcannotmove.Chargesticksonaninsulator,butdoesnotmovefreelythroughit.

Aneutralparticleisnotaffectedbyelectricalforces.Nevertheless,achargedobjectwillattractaneutralmacroscopic
objectbytheprocessofelectricalpolarization.Forexample,ifanegativelychargedrodisbroughtclosetoanisolated,
neutralinsulator,theelectronsintheatomsoftheinsulatorwillbepushedslightlyawayfromthenegativerod,andthe
positivenucleiwillbeattractedslightlytowardthenegativerod.Wesaythattherodhasinducedpolarizationinthe
insulator,butitsnetchargeisstillzero.Thepolarizationofchargeintheinsulatorissmall,butnowitspositivechargeisa
bitclosertothenegativerod,anditsnegativechargeisabitfartheraway.Thus,thepositivechargeisattractedtotherod
morestronglythanthenegativechargeisrepelled,andthereisanoverallnetattraction.(Donotconfuseelectrical
polarizationwiththepolarizationoflight,whichisanentirelydifferentphenomenon.)

Ifthenegativerodisbroughtnearanisolated,neutralconductor,theconductorwillalsobepolarized.Intheconductor,
electronsarefreetomovethroughthematerial,andsomeofthemarerepelledovertotheoppositesurfaceofthe
conductor,leavingthesurfacenearthenegativerodwithanetpositivecharge.Theconductorhasbeenpolarized,and
willnowbeattractedtothechargedrod.

Nowifweconnectaconductingwireoranyotherconductingmaterialfromthepolarizedconductortotheground,we
provideapaththroughwhichtheelectronscanmove.Electronswillactuallymovealongthispathtotheground.Ifthe
wireorpathissubsequentlydisconnected,theconductorasawholeisleftwithanetpositivecharge.Theconductorhas
beenchargedwithoutactuallybeingtouchedwiththechargedrod,anditschargeisoppositethatoftherod.This
procedureiscalledchargingbyinduction.
THEELECTROSCOPE

Anelectroscopeisasimpleinstrumenttodetectthepresenceofelectriccharge.Theoldelectroscopesconsistedofabox
orcylinderwithafrontglasswallsotheexperimentercouldlookinside,andaninsulatingtopthroughwhichaconducting
rodwithaballordisk(calledanelectrode)ontopenteredthebox.Atthebottomoftherod,verythingoldleaveswere
foldedoverhangingdown,orperhapsagoldleafhungnexttoafixedvane.Goldwasusedbecauseitisagood
conductorandveryductileitcanbemadeverythinandlight.Whenchargewastransferredtothetop,thegoldleaves
wouldbecomechargedandrepeleachother.Theirdivergenceindicatedthepresenceofcharge.

Amodernelectroscopesuchastheoneusedinyourexperimentsconsistsofafixedinsulatedvane,towhichisattached
adelicatelybalancedmovablevaneorneedle.Whenchargeisbroughtnearthetopelectrode,themovablevanemoves
outward,beingrepelledbythefixedvane.

ELECTROSTATICSANDHUMIDITY

Weareallfamiliarwiththefactthatcold,drydaysarehotforelectrostatics,andwegetsmallshocksafterwalking
acrossarugandtouchingadoorknob,orslidingacrossacarseatandtouchingthemetalofthecardoor.Ifthehumidity
isfairlylowonthedayofyourlab,theexperimentswillproceedeasily.Ifthehumidityisextremelylow,asisoftenthe
caseinSouthernCalifornia,youwillprobablynotescapethelabwithoutadirectexperiencewithelectrostatics!Ifthe
humidityishigh,asitissometimesinthesummer,theexperimentsaremoredifficult,andsomemaybeimpossible.

Iftheexperimentsaredifficultonthefirstweekoftheelectrostaticslab,theywillbeleftupsoyoucantrysomeofthem
withtheVandeGraaffexperimentsinthefollowinglab.

Whentheairishumid,athin,invisiblefilmofwaterformsonallsurfaces,particularlyonthesurfacesoftheinsulatorsin
theexperiment.Thisfilmconductsawaythechargesbeforetheyhaveachancetobuildup.Youcanamelioratethiseffect
somewhatbyshiningaheatlampontheinsulatorsintheapparatus.Donotbringtheheatlamptooclose,orthe
insulatorswillbemelted.

EXPERIMENTS

I.EFFECTOFHUMIDITY

Equipment

Luciterod
Silkcloth
 Electroscope
Timer

Procedure

1.Recordyourobservationsinwritingeitheronthecomputer(e.g.,inMicrosoftWord)oronyourownpaper.If
writingbyhand,writeclearly,legibly,andneatlysothatanyone,especiallyyourTA,canreaditeasily.Start
eachobservationwiththesectionnumberandstepnumber(e.g.,I2forthestepbelow).Youdonotneedto
repeatthequestion.Notallstepshaveobservationstorecord.

2.Recordinyournotestherelativehumidityintheroom(fromthewallmeter)andtheinsideandoutside
temperature.

3.Forthisexperiment,donotshinethefloodlampontheelectroscope.Bepreparedtostartyourtimer.Youmay
usethestopwatchfunctionofyourwristwatch.

4.Rubtheluciterodvigorouslywiththesilkcloth.Usealittlewhippingmotionattheendoftherubbing.Touch
theluciterodtothetopoftheelectroscope.Movetherodalongandaroundthetopsoyoutouchasmuchof
itssurfacetothemetaloftheelectroscopeaspossible.Sincetherodisaninsulator,chargewillnotflowfrom
allpartsoftherodontotheelectroscopeyouneedtotouchallparts(exceptwhereyouareholdingit)tothe
electroscope.Startyourtimerimmediatelyafterchargingtheelectroscope.

5.Recordthetimeittakestheelectroscopeneedletofallcompletelyto0.Timeuptofiveminutes,ifnecessary.
Iftheneedlehasnotfallento0afterfiveminutes,recordanestimateofitsangleatthefiveminutemark.
Typically,aftercharging,theneedlemightbeat80.

6.Iftheelectroscopeneedlefallsto0inafewminutes,theheatlampwillhelpintheexperimentsbelow.Ifthe
needlefallsto0in15secondsorso,asitdoesonsomesummerdays,youwillprobablyhavedifficulty
 completingtheexperiments,evenwiththehelpoftheheatlamp.Ifthisisthecase,youcantryagainnext
week.

II.ATTRACTIONANDREPULSIONOFCHARGES

Inthissection,youwillobservethecharacteristicsofthetwotypesofcharges,andverifyexperimentallythat
oppositechargesattractandlikechargesrepel.

Equipment

Twoluciterods
Oneroughplasticrod
Standwithstirrupholder
Silkcloth
Cat'sfur

Procedure

1.Chargeoneluciterodbyrubbingitvigorouslywithsilk.PlacetherodintothestirrupholderasshowninFigure
7.

2.Rubthesecondluciterodwithsilk,andbringitclosetothefirstrod.Whathappens?Recordtheobservations
inyournotes.

3.Rubtheroughplasticrodwithcat'sfur,andbringthisrodneartheluciterodinthestirrup.Recordyour
observations.

Forreferencepurposes,accordingtotheconventionoriginallychosenbyBenjaminFranklin,theluciterodsrubbed
withsilkbecomepositivelycharged,andtheroughplasticrodsrubbedwithcat'sfurbecomenegativelycharged.
Hardrubberrods,whicharealsocommonlyused,becomenegativelycharged.

III.PITHBALLS

Inthissection,youwillobservetheinducedpolarizationofaneutralinsulatorandthetransferofchargebycontact.
 Equipment

Hangerwithpithballs
Luciterod
Roughplasticrod
Silkcloth
Cat'sfur

Procedure

(Theheatlampmayhelptominimizehumiditynearthepithballs.)

1.Touchthepithballswithyourfingerstoneutralizeanycharge.

2.Chargetheluciterodbyrubbingitwithsilk.

3.Bringtheluciterodcloseto(butnottouching)thepithballs.Observeandrecordwhathappenstotheballs.
Explainyourresults.(Refertothetheorysection,ifnecessary.)

4.Touchthepithballswithyourfingertodischargethem.Rechargetheluciterodwithsilk.

5.Touchthepithballswiththeluciterod.(Sometimesitisnecessarytotouchdifferentpartsoftherodtothe
balls.)Thenbringtherodnearoneoftheballs.Whathappens?Recordandexplainyourresults.

6.Chargetheroughplasticrodwithcat'sfur.Howdoestheplasticrodaffectthepithballsaftertheyhavebeen
chargedwiththeluciterod?Recordyourresults.

IV.CHARGINGBYINDUCTION

Equipment

Electroscope
Luciterod
Roughplasticrod
Silkcloth
 Cat'sfur

Procedure

1.Chargetheluciterodbyrubbingitwithsilk.

2.Bringtheluciterodnear(butnottouching)thetopoftheelectroscope,sothattheelectroscopeisdeflected.

3.Removetheluciterod.Whathappens?Recordtheresultsyournotes.Useseveralsentencesandperhapsa
diagramortwotoexplainthebehaviorofthechargesintheelectroscope.

4.Bringtheluciterodneartheelectroscopeagainsothatitisdeflected.Holdtherodinthisposition,andbriefly
touchthetopoftheelectroscopewithyourotherfinger.Keeptherodinposition.Whathappens?Recordthe
resultsinyournotes.

5.Nowremovetheluciterod.Ifyouhavedoneeverythingcorrectly,theelectroscopeshouldhaveapermanent
deflection.Diagraminyournoteswhathappenedwiththecharges.(Refertothetheorysection,ifnecessary.)
 6.Withtheelectroscopedeflectedasaresultoftheoperationsabove,bringthechargedluciterodnearthe
electroscopeagain.Removetheluciterod,andbringachargedroughplasticrodneartheelectroscope.What
happensineachcase?Recordtheresultsinyournotes.

V.ELECTROPHORUS

TheelectrophorusisasimpleelectrostaticinductiondeviceinventedbyAlessandroVoltaaround1770.Volta
characterizeditasaninexhaustiblesourceofcharge.Initspresentform,theelectrophorusconsistsofalucite
plateonwhichrestsaflatmetalplatewithaninsulatinghandle.

Theluciteplateispositivelychargedbybeingrubbedwithsilk.Becauseluciteisaninsulator,itremainscharged
untilthechargeleaksoffslowly.Themetalplatedoesnotpickupthispositivecharge,eventhoughitrestsonthe
lucite.Theplateactuallymakescontactwiththeluciteinonlyafewplacesandbecauseluciteisaninsulator,
chargedoesnottransfereasilyfromit.Instead,whenyoutouchthemetalplate,electronsfromyourbody(attracted
bythepositiveluciteplate)flowontothemetalplate.Yourbodythusactsasanelectricalground.Themetalplate
isnegativelychargedbyinduction.Becausethepositivechargeisnotusedup,themetalplatecanbecharged
repeatedlybyinduction.

Equipment

Electrophorus
Silkcloth
Electroscope
Neontube

Procedure

(Theheatlampshiningontheequipmentmayimproveitsoperation.)

1.Chargetheelectrophorusluciteplatebyrubbingitwithsilk.Awhippingmotiontowardtheendoftherubbing
mayhelp.Usuallytheluciteneedstobechargedonlyoncefortheentireexperiment.

2.Placethemetalplateonthecenteroftheluciteplate,andtouchitwithyourfinger.(Youmayfeelaslight
shock.)

3.Holdthemetalplatebyitsinsulatinghandleasfarfromthemetalaspossible.Bringthemetaltowithin2cmof
yourknuckle,andthenslowlycloseruntila(painless)sparkjumps.

4.Rechargethemetalplatebyplacingitbackonthelucite,touchingthelucite,andthenliftingtheplateoffwith
itsinsulatinghandle.Bringitnearyourlabpartner'sknuckle.

5.Repeattheprocedureuntilyouhaveexperiencedseveralsparks.Whatistheaveragedistanceasparkwill
jump?Recordthisdistanceinyournotes.

6.Rechargethemetalplate,andbringitslowlynearthetopoftheelectroscope.Observewhathappenswiththe
electroscopeneedle.

7.Movetheplateawayfromtheelectroscope,andrecordwhathappenswiththeelectroscopeneedle.Isitstill
deflected?Whyorwhynot?

8.Rechargethemetalplate,andactuallytouchittothetopoftheelectroscope.Setthemetalplateaside.
Observewhathappenswiththeelectroscopeneedle.Isthereanydifferenceinthebehavioroftheneedle
comparedtotheresultsinprocedure6?Ifso,howdoyouaccountforthedifference?Recordthisexplanation
inyournotes.

9.Onceagain,rechargethemetalplate.Holdoneendoftheneontubewithyourfingers,andbringthemetal
 plateslowlyclosertotheotherend.Observewhathappenswiththeneontube.Theinducedcurrentshould
createabriefflashoflight.Bygroundingtheendofthetubewithyourfingers,youareprovidingapathwayfor
thechargestomove.

10.Inthissection,youchargedtheluciteplatebyrubbingitatthebeginning,andwerethenabletochargethe
metalplaterepeatedly.Wheredoesthechargeonthemetalplatecomefrom?Wheredoestheenergythat
makesthesparksandlightsthetubecomefrom?Commentinyournotes.

VI.COULOMB'SLAW

Youwillbetestingtheinverse\(r\)squareddependenceofCoulomb'sLawwithaverysimpleapparatus.Thereisa
tallboxcontainingahangingpithballcoveredwithaconductingsurface,andsimilarpithballsonslidingblocks.A
mirroredscalepermitsyoutodeterminethepositionoftheballs.(Thepurposeoftheclosedboxistominimizethe
effectsofaircurrents.)

Thedisplacement\(d\)ofthehangingballfromitsequilibriumpositiondependsontheelectricalforce\(F\)which
repelsitfromtheslidingball.TheforcetriangleofFigure10gives

\begin{eqnarray}\tan\phi&=&F/mg,\end{eqnarray}

whilethephysicaltriangleofthehangingballgives

\begin{eqnarray}\sin\phi&=&d/L.\end{eqnarray}
Iftheangle\(\phi\)issmall,then\(\tan\phi=\sin\phi\),and\(d\)isproportionalto\(F\).Therefore,todemonstratethe
inverse\(r\)squareddependenceofCoulomb'sLaw,weneedtomeasurethedisplacementasafunctionofthe
separationbetweenthecentersoftheballs.

Thepurposeofthemirroristominimizeparallaxerrorsinreadingthescale.Forexample,tomeasuretopositionof
thefrontofthehangingball,lineupthefrontedgeoftheballwithitsimage.Youreyeisnowperpendiculartothe
scale,andyoucanreadofftheposition.Figure11belowshowsthesituationwhereyoureyeisstilltoohighandto
theright.
Equipment

Coulomb'sLawapparatus
Electrophorus
Silkcloth

Procedure

1.TakeamomenttochecktopositionofthehangingballinyourCoulombapparatus.Lookinthroughtheside
plasticwindow.Thehangingballshouldbeatthesameheightastheslidingball(i.e.,thetopofthemirrored
scaleshouldpassbehindthecenterofthehangingpithball,asinFigure12below).Liftoffthetopcoverand
lookdownontheball.Thehangingballshouldbecenteredonalinewiththeslidingballs.Ifnecessary,adjust
carefullythefinethreadsthatholdthehangingballtopositionitproperly.

2.Chargethemetalplateoftheelectrophorusintheusualwaybyrubbingtheplasticbasewithsilk,placingthe
metalplateonthebase,andtouchingitwithyourfinger.

3.Liftoffthemetalplatebyitsinsulatinghandle,andtouchitcarefullytotheballontheleftslidingblock.

4.SlidetheblockintotheCoulombapparatuswithouttouchingthesidesoftheboxwiththeball.Slidetheblock
inuntilitisclosetothehangingball.Thehangingballwillbeattractedbypolarization,asinSectionIIIofthis
lab.Afterittouchestheslidingball,thehangingballwillpickuphalfthechargeandberepelledaway.Repeat
theprocedureifnecessary,pushingtheslidingballupuntilittouchesthehangingball.

5.Rechargetheslidingballsoitproducesthemaximumforce,andexperimentwithpushingittowardthe
hangingball.Thehangingballshouldberepelledstrongly.

6.Youaregoingtomeasurethedisplacementofthehangingball.Youdonotneedtomeasurethepositionofits
center,butwillrecordthepositionofitsinsideedge.Removetheslidingballandrecordtheequilibrium
positionofitsinsideedgethatfacestheslidingball,whichyouwillsubtractfromalltheothermeasurementsto
determinethedisplacement\(d\).

7.Puttheslidingballin,andmaketrialmeasurementsoftheinsideedgeoftheslidingballandtheinsideedgeof
thehangingball.Thedifferencebetweenthesetwomeasurements,plusthediameterofoneoftheballs,isthe
distance\(r\)betweentheircenters.Practicetakingmeasurementsandcompareyourreadingswiththoseof
yourlabpartneruntilyouaresureyoucandothemaccurately.Trytoestimatemeasurementsto0.2mm.
 8.Takemeasurements,andrecordthediameteroftheballs(bysightingonthescale).

9.Removetheslidingball,andrechecktheequilibriumpositionoftheinsideedgeofthehangingball.

10.YoucanrecordandgraphdatainExcelorbyhand(althoughifyouworkbyhand,youwilllosetheopportunity
for2millsofadditionalcreditbelow).Rechargetheballsasinsteps14,andrecordaseriesof
measurementsoftheinsideedgesoftheballs.Movetheslidingballinstepsof0.5cmforeachnew
measurement.

11.Computecolumnsofdisplacements\(d\)(positionofthehangingballminustheequilibriumposition)andthe
separations\(r\)(differencebetweenthetworecordedmeasurementsplusthediameterofoneball).

12.Plot(byhandorwithExcel)\(d\)versus\(1/r^2\).IsCoulomb'sLawverified?

13.Foranadditionalcreditof2mills,useExceltofitapowerlawcurvetothedata.Whatistheexponentofthe\
(r\)dependenceoftheforce?(Theoretically,itshouldbe2.000,butwhatdoesyourcurvefitproduce?)

14.Foryourrecords,youmayprintoutyourExcelfilewithatableandgraphofyournumericalobservationsand
anyotherelectronicfilesyouhavegenerated.

ADDITIONALCREDIT(3mills)

Youcanchangethechargeontheslidingballbyfactorsoftwo,bytouchingittotheotherunchargedslidingball(groundit
withyourfingerfirst).Theballswillsharetheircharge,andhalfthechargewillremainonthefirstball(assumingtheballs
arethesamesize).Thisway,youcanobtainchargesonthefirstballof\(Q\),\(Q/2\),\(Q/4\),andsoforth.

DeviseandexecuteanexperimenttoverifythedependenceoftheCoulombforceonthevalueofoneofthecharges.
(Thatis,wewanttoshowthattheforceisproportionaltooneofthecharges.)Themethodisuptoyouexplainyourplan
andresultsinyournotes.Whatshouldyouplotagainstwhat?Doesanythingneedtobeheldconstant?

SourceURL:http://demoweb.physics.ucla.edu/content/experiment3electrostatics