Name _____________________________

Professor Jon Satko

PHYSICS 102B LAB: Virtual Labs & Simulations (Coulomb’s Law)

1.   Go to the website at the following address: http://kingfish.coastal.edu/physics/physlets/Electrostatics/

Part A:  Electrostatic Physlets

Do activities #1 – 3; skip #4 (“Particle in an Unknown Field”)

1.  DETERMINE THE SIGN OF THE CHARGE

Below, write the sign of each charge (+ or - ).

1 _______       2 _______       3 _______       4 _______       5 _______

2.  UNKNOWN CHARGE

What is the magnitude and sign of the charge on the right? _____________________

Hints: 

• First, play with the test charge to get a feel for what the variables x, y, and F mean. 
• Then, move the test charge to a place where the forces from the left and right cancel each other out.  (Keep things simple by keeping this as a 1-dimensional problem!)
• This means that F_left = F_right.  Apply Coulomb’s Law to that equation, and solve for q_right.

Be sure to show your calculations on this worksheet.

3.  COULOMB FORCE

In which of the two displays do the particles exhibit a force obeying Coulomb's Law?

How did you determine your answer?