MAPPING EQUIPOTENTIAL AND E-FIELD LINES

Adorable, Charlene S.; Kathleen Trisha O.; Galera, Kate Coleen D.;
Mirasol, Lyndzee Pauline. V; Pormilda, Gracechel Ann
- -6,- -4,- -2,- 0,-2 2,-1 4,-2 6,-2 9,-1
10,- 2 1 2
1

- -7,- -4,- -2.- 0,-5 2,-2 4,-3 6,-3 9,-4

10,- 3 3 3
2

I. Introduction
A field line is an imaginary line or curve in a field
of force. It is useful for visualizing vector fields, such
as an electric field that surrounds a charge or a charged
object. A more useful means of visually representing
the vector nature of an electric field is through the use
of electric field lines of force. These pattern of lines are
drawn such that the electric field vectors are always
tangent to it at every point along the line. Thus, electric
field lines will always be directed away from the
positively charged source charges and toward the
negatively charged source charges.
The concept of an electric field comes from the
simplest electric systems: two point charges, q1
and q2, separated by a distance r. The force
exerted on each other, FE, is given by Coulomb’s
Law.
Galvanometer, is an instrument for measuring a
small electrical current or a function of the current
by deflection of a moving coil. The deflection is a
mechanical rotation derived from forces resulting
from the current.

Equipotential lines are like contour lines on a map

that provide a quantitative way of viewing the electric
potential in two dimensions. Every point in the
equipotential line will have the same electric potential.
This means that no work is required to move a charge
from one point to another on the same equipotential
line. Thus, the equipotential lines are perpendicular to
the electric field lines at every point along the
equipotential line. The following objectives were
created by the students to further improve their analyses
on performing the experiment:
The potential energy difference between being at
two points is defined as the amount of work that
must be done to move between them. This then
sets the relationship between potential energy and
force.
Electric potential is measured in Volts, and the
word “voltage” is often used interchangeably with
“potential.”

 Experimentally investigate the relation between At any point in the potential landscape, the field
electric field lines of force and equipotential points in the direction that a mass would feel a
surfaces in two dimensions; force if placed there (or that a positive charge
 Construct various conducting surfaces (metal would feel a force for electric potentials and
electrodes) and study the electric field and fields).
equipotential patterns associated with them and;
 Analyze sources of errors or uncertainty with the
results and execution of laboratory activity. Equipotential lines are like contour lines on a map
which trace line of equal altitude. The altitude is
the electric potential or voltage. Equipotential
II. Methodology lines are always perpendicular to electric fields.
Movement along an equipotential surface requires
no work because such movement is always
perpendicular to electric field.
III. Results and Discussion
Table 1. Equipotential points of two
opposite charges The electric potential of a point charge is given by
𝑘𝑄
Reference -8,0 -6,0 -4,0 -2,0 0,0 2,0 4,0 6,0 8,0
= , the radius r determines the potential. The
-
10,5
-6,2 -4,3 -2,3 ½,2 3,2 5,3 8,5 10,3
𝑟
-8,2 -9.6 -5,6 -2,5 ½,1 2,3 5,4 7.5,4 10,4
-
10,4
-
10,7
-2,7 -1,3 ½,6 3,5 4,1 9,6 10,1 equipotential lines are therefore circles, and the
- -7,3 -4,2 -2,1 ½,5 3,7 4.5,3 9,7 10,2
Equi-
potential
points
10,2
-
10,-
-7,-
3
-4,-
2
-2,-
1
½,-5 3,-7 4.5,-3 9,-7 10,-2 sphere centered on the charge is an equipotential
2
-
10,-
-
10,-
-2,-
7
-1,-
3
½,-6 3,-5 4,-1 9,-6 10,-1 surface. The equipotential lines get further apart
4 7
-
10,-
2
-9,-
6
-5,-
6
-2,-
5
½,-1 2,-3 5,-4 7.5,-4 10,-4
with increasing r.
- -6,- -4,- -2.- ½,-2 3,-2 5,-3 8,-5 10,-3
10,- 2 3 3
5

Table 2. Equipotential points of a point Possible errors committed: miss-measurements of

charge and a line charge some points in the conducting plate. The use of
Reference -8,0 -6,0 -4,0 -2,0 0,0 2,0 4,0 6,0 8,0
-
10,2
-7,3 -4,3 -2,3 0,5 2,2 4,3 6,3 9,4 battery, it may not be the most stable source of
- -6,2 -4,1 -2,2 0,2 2,1 4,2 6,2 9,1
10,1
-
10,3
-7,5 -5,5 -2,6 0,1 2,4 4,1 6,1 9,3
electricity, voltage may vary throughout the
Equi-
potential
points
-
10,4
-
-6,1

-6,-
-5,7

-5,-
-2,1

-2,-
0,3

0,-3
2,5

2,-5
4,5

4,-5
7,4

7, -4
9,2

9,-2
experiment.
10,- 1 7 1
4
- -7.- -5,- -1,- 0,-1 2,-4 4,-1 6,-1 9,-3
10,- 5 5 6
3
IV. Conclusion

In can be concluded that the electric field strength

between two plates re uniform at any points. This
𝑉
can be investigated using the formula = . The
𝑑
further the distance between two plates, the larger
the potential difference.

V. References

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(2013). Equipotential Lines and Electric
Fields.
Retrieved from
https://ocw.mit.edu/courses/physics/8-02-
physics-ii-electricity-and-magnetism-spring-
2007/experiments/experiment1.pdf

Equipotentials and Electric Field. (2016).

Retrieved from
http://groups.physics.northwestern.edu/lab/s
econd/equipotential.pdf

Electric Field Mapping and Equipotentials.

(2017).
Retrieved from
https://www.pa.msu.edu/courses/2013summ
er/phy252/labfiles/Lab1.pdf

Equipotential Lines. (2015),

Retrieved from
http://hyperphysics.phy-
astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/equipot.html