Electric Field Simulator
Classroom worksheet · Interactive simulation: https://lkforge.com/tools/physics/electric-field/
Name: Date:
Learning objectives
- Interpret electric field lines and their direction.
- Apply superposition of fields from multiple charges.
- Relate field strength to distance and charge.
Variables to change
- Charge sign
- Charge magnitude
- Charge positions
Procedure
- Place a single positive charge and observe the field-line pattern.
- Add a negative charge of equal magnitude nearby (a dipole) and observe the lines.
- Add a second like charge and observe how the fields combine.
Observations
Sketch the field-line patterns for a single charge, a dipole, and two like charges.
Questions
- Which way do field lines point relative to a positive charge? A negative charge?
- What does the density of field lines indicate?
- How does electric field strength depend on distance from a point charge?
- What is the field like between two equal and opposite charges (a dipole)?
- How do you find the total field from several charges?
Answer key (instructors)
- 1. Away from positive charges and toward negative charges.
- 2. Field strength — lines are closer together where the field is stronger.
- 3. It falls off as 1/r² (E = k·q/r²).
- 4. Field lines run from the positive to the negative charge, densest between them.
- 5. By vector superposition — add the individual field vectors at each point.
Electric field lines point away from positive and toward negative charge, with density showing strength. A point charge’s field weakens as 1/r². For multiple charges the total field is the vector sum (superposition) of each charge’s field.