Download Name Date What is Electric Potential NRG and Electric Potential

Name ______________________________
Date ______________
What is Electric Potential NRG and Electric Potential?
Use your resources and define the following terms:
Electric Potential NRG Electric Potential Electric Potential Difference –
From your definitions, describe how you would determine values for
each of the terms. Use complete sentences and fully explain your
method.
Go to : http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/charges-and-fields/chargesand-fields_en.html
Once at the website,
1. Explore by placing a single positive 1 nC point charge in the
middle of the screen.
Move the voltage probe box to different locations near the charge.
What happens to the voltage number? Does the number change at
all? How does the color in the circle with the cross-hairs change?
How does the number change with relation to distance from the
charge?
2. Replace the positive charge with a 1 nC negative charge. Move
the voltage probe box to different locations near the charge.
What happens to the voltage number? Does the number change at
all? How does the color in the circle with the cross-hairs change?
How does the number change with relation to distance from the
charge?
Name ______________________________
Date ______________
What did you observe to be similar and what did you observe to be
different between the positive and negative charge?
 The electric potential expresses the work a source charge
distribution does on a point charge as the point charge’s
position changes. The electric field expresses the force a
source distribution exerts on a point charge and work done is
proportional to force exerted. Thus, electric potential is related
to electric field.
Using the tape measure and the voltage probe, record position and
Electric Potential values for the -1nC charge. Create a graph of
Electric Potential vs r.
Use the Electric Field sensors and measure the Electric field at the
same points you measured the Electric Potential. Create a graph of
Electric Field Strength vs r.
How does the Electric Potential graph compare to the Electric Field
graph? What is similar and different about each graph?