E305: ELECTRIC FIELDS AND EQUIPOTENTIAL LINES

MENDOZA, Theresa C.

OBJECTIVE 1 centimeter distance was set from the reference

This experiment aims to observe the nature of
electric fields through a visible process.
Plotting the points with same potential represents
how the electric potentials contrast by charged
object. It was also the process to obtain the aim
of this experiment.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
for plotting the equipotential line. The desired
value of the potential or voltage from the
multimeter and the eight coordinates were noted.
Total of five equipotential lines were made having
1.184, 1.596, 2.14, 2.34, and 2.70 volts as the
constant reading by the multimeter. The paper
was removed from the corkboard to measure the
coordinates using ruler. The points were
connected using geogebra software.

The objective of this experiment can be obtained This experiment has second part. The procedure
through the given materials which were was the same as the previous but except for
conductive paper, silver ink pen, corkboard electron node configuration.
surface, push pins, connecting wires, digital
In different conductive paper, a circle was drawn
multimeter and battery.
with radius of 7 centimeters using silver
Initially, coordinates of the conductive paper conductive pen. Push pins were placed at the
which were (0, 10) and (0,-10) were plotted origin and at the coordinates (0, 7).
utilizing silver conductive ink pen. Then, the
On one quadrant of the circle, five equipotential
conductive paper was placed to the corkboard
lines were plotted with constant voltage of 6.11,
and stabilized the paper through push pins. On
5.80, 5.43, 4.95, and 4.34.
the plotted coordinates, push pins were placed
and served as the electrodes. The electrodes
were connected utilizing connecting wire, alligator
type, to the battery. One of the electrode push
pins served as the reference. Probe of the
multimeter touched the reference for plotting
equipotentials. Another probe was utilized for
measuring potentials on the paper. The figure
below shows the set-up.

Figure 1. Plotting of equipotential

line at point source

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS

For the first part, the reference point was (0, 10).
The initial points of the five equipotential line
were (0,9), (0,8), (0,6), (0,5) and (0,3). These
points have corresponding voltage from

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multimeter reading. Eight coordinates of the From tables 1-5, it can be observed that as the
different voltage were shown in the tables below. distance from the reference electrode increases,
the value of the voltage also increases. Figure 1
X Y X Y below shows the graph of the tables 1-5.
0.9 9.4 1.3 11.0
1.2 9.9 1.0 11.4
1.4 10.3 0.7 11.4
1.4 10.6 0.4 11.9

Table 1. Coordinates having

constant 1.184 Volts and (0, 9) as
the initial point
X Y X Y
1.3 8.4 2.9 11.2
2.1 9.2 2.8 12.2
2.5 10.0 2.7 13.0
2.7 10.5 2.6 13.8

Table 2. Coordinates having

constant 1.596 Volts and (0, 8) as Figure 2. Graph summarizing the
the initial point data from tables 1-5 in a landscape
X Y X Y
form
1.6 6.2 6.1 9.0
2.9 6.7 6.8 9.7 For the second part, the reference point was (0,
3.8 7.3 7.8 10.3 7). The initial points of the five equipotential line
4.5 7.8 9.1 11.5
were (0,6), (0,5), (0,4), (0,3) and (0,2). These
points have corresponding voltage from
Table 3. Coordinates having multimeter reading. Eight coordinates of the
constant 2.14 Volts and (0, 6) as different voltage were shown in the following
the initial point tables.

X Y X Y X Y X Y
1.7 5.1 5.5 6.6 0.7 5.9 4.2 4.1
2.7 5.5 6.5 7.6 1.5 5.8 5.1 3.1
3.6 5.7 7.9 7.6 2.1 5.6 5.6 1.8
4.6 6.2 9.6 8.2 2.7 5.3 5.8 0.3

Table 6. Coordinates having

Table 4. Coordinates having
constant 6.11 Volts and (0, 6) as
constant 2.34 Volts and (0, 5) as
the initial point
the initial point X Y X Y
1.4 4.8 4.3 2.1
X Y X Y 2.7 4.1 4.6 1.3
1.1 3.05 7.6 3.7 3.6 3.2 4.65 0.9
2.8 3.15 7.6 4.0 4.0 2.7 4.7 0.35
4.0 3.3 8.9 4.2
5.1 3.5 9.8 4.4 Table 7. Coordinates having
constant 5.80 Volts and (0,5) as the
Table 5. Coordinates having initial point
constant 2.70 Volts and (0, 3) as X Y X Y
the initial point 0.5 3.95 3.2 2.1

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 1.2 3.8 3.5 1.5 direction of the electron field that will result in
2.1 3.3 3.75 0.8 difference in potential (Franklin).
2.8 2.7 3.8 0.4
The graph in the first part shows the electric
Table 8. Coordinates having
fields between the positive and negative charges.
constant 5.38 Volts and (0, 4) as Through electric forces and equipotential lines,
the initial point the pattern of electric field is manifested. Electric
X Y X Y forces was the oval-like connecting lines while the
0.5 2.9 2.1 1.8
equipotential lines were the mirrored-lines. The
1.0 2.7 2.3 1.4
potential increases in the region of a negative
1.5 2.5 2.5 1.0
1.8 2.2 2.7 0.6 charge from a negative point to a positive point
in the region of a positive charge (Ball, 1980).
Table 9. Coordinates having
constant 5.38 Volts and (0, 3) as The graph in the second and last part shows the
the initial point electric field in the region of a closed positive
X Y X Y electric charge. This field also has electric force
0.2 2.0 1.5 1.0 and equipotential lines. It was observed that as
0.5 1.9 1.7 0.85 the equipotential line space decreases with
1.0 1.75 1.75 0.6 increasing distance from the positive point
1.3 1.4 1.8 0.2 (origin). The reason for this is the decrease in
potential gradient that distinguishes the
Table 10. Coordinates having continuous dwindling electric field (Ball, 1980).
constant 4.34 Volts and (0, 2) as
Field and equipotential lines are most of the time
Similarthe initial
to the point part, as the distance from
previous
right angles with each other. Plotting at right
the electrode increases, the voltage also
angles to the electric field prevents having work
increases. Figure 2 below shows the graph from
(Kirk, 2003).
the tables 6-10.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND REFERENCES

I acknowledge my professor, Mr. Ricardo De Leon,

for making this experiment easier for us to do.
Geogebra is such a big help for us in terms of
plotting and tracing the points. The graph is
important for attaining the objective which is to
observe the nature of electric field.

Ball, J., Moore, A. D., & Turner, S. (1980). Ball

and Moore's Essential Physics for Radiographers.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Figure 2. Graph summarizing the
data from tables 6-10
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Perpendicularity is the relationship between
electric field and equipotential lines. It is due to
the change in position which has part in the
Franklin, K., Muir, P., Scott, T., Wilcocks, L., &
Yates, P. (2010). Introduction to Biological
Physics for the Health and Life Sciences. John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Kirk, T. (2003). Physics for the IB Diploma:
Standard and Higher Level. Oxford University
Press.

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