In the diagram below each unit on the horizontal axis is 4.00 cm and each unit o
ID: 1632914 • Letter: I
Question
In the diagram below each unit on the horizontal axis is 4.00 cm and each unit on the vertical axis is 5.00 cm. The equipotential lines in a region of uniform electric field are indicated by the blue lines. (Note that the diagram is not drawn to scale.)
(a) What is the direction of the electric field?
(b) Determine the magnitude of the electric field in this region.
____V/m
What is the definition of electric field in terms of potential difference and distance? V/m
(c) Determine the shortest distance for which the change in potential is 3 V.
The shortest distance is the perpendicular distance. What is the distance between any two adjacent equipotential lines in this problem?
_____mm
Explanation / Answer
(a) The figure on the top right is the correct answer. The electric field is always from the higher potential to the lower potential.
(b) distance between to equipotential lines, d = 5*sin(x)
Where tan(x) = 4/5
So, d = 3.12 cm = 0.0312 m
E = V/d = (12-6)/0.312 = 193.31 N/C
(c) E*d = V= 3V
d = 3/192.31 = 1.56 cm