PHYS-102 LAB-01

Coulombs Law

1. Objective

The objective of this experiment is to demonstrate that the force between two
stationary charges is directly proportional to the product of the charges and
inversely to the square of the distance between them.

2. Theory

According to Coulombs Law, the magnitude of the electrostatic force between two
charged particles with charges Q
1
and Q
2
and separated by a distance r is given
by:


1 2
2 e
QQ
F k
r
= [1]

Where k = 8.99x10
9
N.m
2
/C
2
is the Coulomb constant. The unit of charge is taken as a
Coulomb (C). The constant k is also written as k = 1/4
o
where the constant
o
is
called the permittivity of free space
o
= 8.854x10
-12
C
2
/ N.m
2
. Since force is a
vector quantity, in the vector form Coulombs law is expressed as:



Figure 1. The free body force diagram of two charged particles.

Where
12
is a unit vector directed from Q
1
to Q
2
.

3. Experimental Procedure

The basis of this experiment is very simple. Two graphite-coated spheres are
charged and the force between them is measured. This is done to study the
dependence of the electrostatic force on [1] the separation between the charges
and [2] on the product of the two charges. We will study only the proportionality
of electrostatic force on the separation distance and the product of the charges.
The separation distance dependence is studied by charging the two spheres and
measuring the force between them by varying the distance between the charged
spheres. The charge product dependence is similarly studied by varying the
charge on the two spheres kept at a fixed distance and measuring the resulting
force.
Note: You will measure the force between the two spheres by measuring torque
resulting in a torsion (angular twist) in the wire holding the one of the charged
spheres on a light insulating lever. One end of the wire is fixed were as another
one can be rotated. The amount of rotation is proportional to the force between
the spheres. The torsion balance can be calibrated to precisely determine this
constant of proportionality between deflection (the twist) and the force.
However, in this experiment we will not do so.

3.1 Apparatus
1. A Coulombs Law apparatus with associated accessories. Two views of the
apparatus in schematic form are shown below.
2. A high-voltage power supply.
3. Faraday Ice Pail, charge producers, electrometer and associated accessories





Figures 1a and 1b. Schematic views of the Coulombs Law Apparatus.
3.2 Experimental Procedure

Important precautions
1. The wire in the torsion pendulum is very fragile and should be handled with
utmost caution. Do not adjust screws holding the wire. You should never tap
the sphere attached to the torsion wire from above. Do not touch the
spheres with your bare hands as it can contaminate and damage the spheres
graphite coating.

2. When using the high-voltage power supply, you should never touch
anything except the spheres the high-voltage probe. Do not point the probe
toward any other person or your own body. Use the probe with one hand,
keeping the other hand free. Do not handle the probe if you are wet or are
standing on a wet floor.


3. Discharge and re-charge both spheres before every measurement. Always
charge spheres at maximal distance from each other, afterwards bringing
the sphere on the adjustable support to shorter distances.

Initial setting.
1. Move the sliding base to the 4-cm mark and set the sphere support rod so
that the sliding sphere is very close to but not actually touching the
suspended sphere. Do not readjust the rod for the remainder of the
experiment. 4 cm is the minimal distance between centers of the spheres.

2. Make sure the spheres are fully discharged (touch them with the green
grounded probe) and move the sliding sphere as far as possible from the
suspended sphere. Rotate the torsion dial to align black lines at the counter
weight vane and on the fixed plate (this is null position). Write down the
angle on the torsion dial
0
. This angle is corresponding to zero force
between spheres.

3.3 Distance Dependence
1. With the spheres at maximum distance, charge both the spheres to a
potential of 6 kV, using the red charging probe connected to the High
Voltage Power Supply.
2. Position the sliding support at the 14 cm mark, Adjust the torsion dial as
necessary to balance the forces and bring the pendulum marker to null
position. Record the distance R from the base scale and the angle from the
torsion dial. Each member of the lab group should perform this
measurement separately.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4 cm distance.
4. Plot the distance R as a function of the displacement angle -
0
. Add a
power trendline to fit the data using Excel and include the equation of the
line, as well the R
2
value, on the chart.

3.4 Charge Dependence
1. Charge both spheres to 6kV. Set the sliding sphere to 4 cm and record the
voltage and the displacement angle . (Hint: this was the last reading you
took from the previous section)

2. Discharge both spheres and bring the sliding sphere to the maximal distance.
Recharge both spheres to 5.5 kV bring the sliding sphere to the same
distance of 4 cm as in step 1. Record the voltage and displacement angle .

3. Repeat step 2 for 5, 4.5, 4, 3.5, and 3 kV.

4. Plot the Voltage as a function of the displacement angle . Add a trendline
to fit the data using excel and include the equation of the line, as well the R
2

value, on the chart.

3.5 Correction to the data.

The Coulombs law (eq.[1]) applies to point charges. An isolated charged
conductive sphere will act as a point charge for measurements made outside the
sphere. In the presence of another similar sphere, a redistribution of charge will
take place to minimize the potential energy of the charges. This redistribution of
charge resulting in a deviation from the point charge approximation can be
significant for separation distances comparable to the radii of the spheres. A
correction factor will be used to correct for this deviation. This correction factor is B
= 1- 4[a/R]
3
, where a is the radius of the sphere and R is the separation between two
spheres. To apply the correction to your data simply divide the measured value of
(or
average
) by B. The spheres used in the present Coulomb torsion balance
apparatus have an average radius a = 1.75 cm.
LAB-01 Coulombs Law

Name:_______________________ Sec./Group__________ Date:_____________
4. Prelab

1. Consider a charged metallic spherical shell of radius a = 1.75 cm. The potential at
a distance of r = 6.0 cm from the center of the shell is measured to be 1.5kV. What
is the charge on the shell? Calculate the potential on the surface of the shell.
(Note: V = kQ/r. You may also like to read the chapter of your textbook that
discusses the Electrostatic Potential.)
















2. Using an Excel spreadsheet make a plot of force F vs r, where F and r are as
defined in equation [1]. Use Q
1
= Q
2
= 5.0C and vary r from from 0.5 cm to 10 cm
in steps of 0.5cm. Plot F along the vertical axis.



3. Using an Excel spreadsheet make a plot of F vs. Q
1
Q
2
in eq.[1]. Take r = 10.0 cm
and Q
1
= Q
2
vary from 1.0 C to 10.0 C in steps of 1.0 C. Plot F along the vertical
axis.
LAB-01 Coulombs Law

Name:_______________________ Sec./Group__________ Date:_____________

5. Data

5.1 Distance Dependence

V = (v)


R
(in cm.)



(in
deg.)

avg

(in
deg.)

B=1-
4[a/R]
3

corrected

(in
deg.)



























































LAB-01 Coulombs Law

Name:_______________________ Sec./Group__________ Date:_____________

5.2 Charge Dependence

R = (cm) B =1-4[a/R]
3



V
(in kV)



(in
deg.)

avg

(in deg.)


B=1-
4[a/R]
3

corrected

(in deg.)




























































6. Analysis

Use the computer to create the two graphs as specified in Procedures 3.3 and 3.4.
Submit these to your lab instructor.
7. JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT
Fun with the Faradays Cage
Often one has to construct large shielded volumes such as rooms in laboratories
where sensitive electronic measurements are to be shielded from external electrical
interference. Such rooms are also crucial when the electronic communication has to
be secured against unauthorized information sharing - also known as spying. Such
electrically shielded regions are called Faraday cages. Michael Faraday used a metal
ice pail to study how the charges distributed themselves when a charged object was
introduced inside the conducting pail (Note: great scientific experiments are often
carried out not by using the fanciest of gadgets, but by imaginatively using
whatever is easily available). You will be repeating Faradays experiment with the
Faraday cage a cylinder made out of wire mesh isolated from and surrounded by
an outer metallic cylinder made from the same wire mesh. Once, say, positively
charged object placed in the inner cage positive charges from inner cage will have
higher energy than before and therefore will try to escape to the outer cage. Thus
difference in potential energy (voltage) will be created. It can be measured by
precision voltmeter (electrometer). The voltage (V) will be proportional to the
charge Observe carefully and have fun.


Experimental Procedure
1. Rub the two charge producers together to create a charge on them.
2. Insert the blue wand into the lower half of the ice pail (the inner cylinder). Make
sure the wand does not touch the surface of the pail. Note the magnitude of the
deflection and its direction (to the right or to the left, or positive or negative).
3. Withdraw the wand from the cage and note the electrometer reading again.
4. Insert the wand again, and let the wand touch the inner surface of the inner
cylinder. Note the electrometer reading. Remove the wand from the inner
cylinder.
5. Ground the ice pail with green wire and then touch the pail again with the wand
from step 4 above. Note the electrometer reading.
6. Repeat step 2 with the white wand (or steps 1 and 2 if you observe very small or
no deflection).

Conclusions:

V
1. What can you conclude from the direction of electrometer deflection in steps 2
and 7 about the polarity of charges on the white and blue wands?

2. What can you conclude from the direction of electrometer deflection in steps 2
and 4 about the polarity of charges on the blue wand and the charge induced on
the outer surface of the ice pail?

3. What can you conclude from step 5 about the charge on the wand? What
happened to the charge?

Make a hypothesis (an educated guess).
Suppose you rub the two wands together as in step 1 of Experimental procedure,
but this time inside the ice pail. What do you think (and why) the reading on the
electrometer would be? Choose from one of the three possible outcomes:

[1] deflection to the right

[2] deflection to the left

[3] no deflection.

Now do the experiment and see if you were right.