Virtual Lab 18.5

Electrostatic Forces

Uses: Force between electric charges, vector addition, electric fields, potential difference.

Two hanging pith balls can be charged or discharged using a charged probe.

Varying the amount of charge results in their hanging at different angles.

The angle and distance between the charges can be measured. The charge on each ball can then be computed.

One of the charged balls can be dragged between high voltage plates to determine the potential difference between the plates from the angle of string and charge on the ball.