Labs / Physics
Electric Field
Scatter positive and negative charges across the canvas and the arrows reveal the electric field they build together — pointing away from plus, toward minus. Drag the ringed test charge anywhere to read the net force it feels, or click a charge to remove it.
charges 2|E| at test 0 N/C
What to try
- With one positive and one negative charge, where do the arrows crowd together — and what does that crowding tell you about the field's strength?
- Switch to two like charges. Is there a spot between them where the test charge feels no force at all? Can you find it?
- Drag the test charge far from every charge. Why does the force arrow shrink so quickly — does the field fade with distance or with distance squared?
- Pile several positive charges into one corner. Does adding more charge make the field simply add up, or something more surprising?
- Load the quadrupole. How is its field different far away compared with a single charge or a simple dipole?