Plot equipotential lines 20V, 10V, 5V, 2V, 1V, 0V, -1V, -2V, -5V, -10V, and -20V respectively.
Question 1: Is an electrically conducting surface an equipotential surface? Explain your answer. Assume that the conductor is in "electrostatic equilibrium."
Question 2: Electric field lines have a directional arrow associated with them. Why do the equipotential curves have no direction associated with them?
Question 3: What is the angle between the electric field vector and the equipotential lines? (Check at least two different places from the equipotential plot.)
Question 4: In what region of space does your data suggest the magnitude of the electric field is largest? (Towards the + or – charges or in between) Why? Label the region on your pattern "Large E". Compute the magnitude of the electric field at this point using the equation Eaverage = ΔV / Δs, where ΔV is the voltage difference between adjacent equipotential lines and Δs is the shortest distance between these equipotential lines.
Question 5: In what region of space does your data suggest the magnitude of the electric field is the smallest? Why? Label this region on your pattern "Small e". Compute the magnitude of the electric field at this point using the equation Eaverage = ΔV / Δs, where ΔV is the voltage difference between adjacent equipotential lines and Δs is the shortest distance between these equipotential lines.