ELECTRICITY & MAGNETISM · LAB 27

Electric-field visualiser

Arrange charges, trace their combined field and launch a test particle through the invisible landscape of electric potential.

ACTIVE TOOLSELECT / MOVE

TOOLS

Choose a tool, then click the field. Drag charges or the probe to explore.

Positive chargeNegative chargeElectric fieldEquipotential

FIELD MAGNITUDE—

move the probe

FIELD DIRECTION—

counter-clockwise from +x

ELECTRIC POTENTIAL—

nearest charge —

PARTICLE FORCE—

potential energy —

CONFIGURATIONDIPOLE

2 charges

WHAT TO NOTICE

Fields add as vectors

Every charge contributes a field at every point. The total field is their vector sum. Field lines leave positive charges, enter negative charges and never cross; equipotential contours are always perpendicular to the local field.

E = kq/r²E_total = ΣE_iV = Σkq/r

Educational electrostatics model. A small distance limit prevents singular forces near point charges; displayed line density is illustrative.