Pre Lab
This week's lab will explore the attractive and repulsive forces felt by electrically charged objects. These electric forces can be calculated by applying Coulomb's Law as shown in the diagram below.
The magnatude of the force each object will feel depends on the amount of charge each object has (q), a constant (k), and the distane between them (r) squared. This should look familar as it is very similar in for to Newton's Universal Gravitation. The direction of the force depends on the type of charge of the objects. Unlike gravity, electrical forces can be attractive or repulsive. Like charges repel, while opposite charges attract.
In the lab this week we will apply this principle to analyze a video of motion similar to that of the charged balloons in the top video to the right. Using Logger Pro, you will use distance and force calculations to determine if electrical forces do in fact follow an inverse square law as indicated in Coulomb's Law. Prior to lab please complete the following:
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An old educational video about Coulomb's Law
A couple videos on Charge and Coulomb's Law:
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Pre Lab Video
Simulation
Explore the simulations embedded at the following links to explore factors regarding electric fields and forces.
Simulation 1: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/charges-and-fields/latest/charges-and-fields_en.html
Simulation 2: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Static-Electricity/Coulomb-s-Law/Coulomb-s-Law-Interactive
Simulation 3: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/electric-hockey
Simulation 4: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/coulombs-law/latest/coulombs-law_en.html
You may use the simulation to answer the pre lab quiz questions as well.
Pre-Lab Quiz is available at the course Blackboard website
Simulation 1: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/charges-and-fields/latest/charges-and-fields_en.html
Simulation 2: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/Physics-Interactives/Static-Electricity/Coulomb-s-Law/Coulomb-s-Law-Interactive
Simulation 3: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/electric-hockey
Simulation 4: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/coulombs-law/latest/coulombs-law_en.html
You may use the simulation to answer the pre lab quiz questions as well.
Pre-Lab Quiz is available at the course Blackboard website
Lab
This week you will be completing the Coulomb's Law lab (pg. 5) found your lab manual.
We will be using Logger Pro software on the lab computers to complete this lab.
We will be using Logger Pro software on the lab computers to complete this lab.
Post Lab
Please post a reflection on the lab experience on the Coulomb's Law Lab Reflection discussion board on the course Blackboard site.
Be sure to include:
Be sure to include:
- What you did
- Why you did it
- Any interesting observations
- What you learned from doing the lab