Name _Logan Helder________________________________________

Partners Name__Adam Marraffa_____________________________________

Electric Fields and Forces Simulation Lab

Objective: To understand how electric force affects a given mass.

Directions: Go to http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/electric-hockey . Then click Run
Now.

Procedure:
1) Like charges __repel___________ and unlike charges _____attract________. The
hockey puck is positive. Drag a positive red charge out of the box in the upper right
hand corner. Move it closer to the hockey puck. Notice the arrow coming from the
puck. This represents the electric force on the puck.

2) What happens to the size of this force, as you bring the charge closer to the puck?
It repels.

Why does this happen?

Because they are both positive.
3) Position the positive red charge so that it will push the puck into the goal when you
click the start button on the bottom. Click start and observe what happens. As the puck
moves farther from the charge, what happens to the electric force on it? (HINT: You
can hit reset and watch what happens again if you need to.)
The electric force is pushing the puck in the goal

Why does this happen?

Because there are two like charges.

4) Why does the puck continue to move into the goal, even when the force on it goes
down as it moves away from the charge? (HINT: Recall Newtons 1 st law of motion from
the last unit.)

This happens because a body at rest remains at rest and a body in motions stays in motion.

5) Click Reset. Click on the boxes Field and Antialias. You should see a lot of black
arrows in the field. What do these black arrows represent? Why are they darkest in
color close to the positive red charge?
The black represents an electric field.

6) Now, start adding more positive red charges directly on top of the red charge that is
already in the field. As you add the red charges, what happens to the black arrows
surrounding them?

The black arrows go in the direction the puck is going.

Why does this happen?

This happens because you are adding more positive charges.

7) Click Reset. Unclick the Field and Antialias button. Slide the mass bar at the
bottom all the way to the right so that the puck has a greater mass of 100. Click Start
again and watch the puck. How is the motion different compared to when the puck had
a lighter mass? (HINT: Redo the motion with a mass of 25 if you need help recalling
the motion with the lighter mass.)
The mass stays still.

Explain why.
This happens because there is a larger mass.

8) Predict what will happen to the puck if you slide the mass bar down to 1. Write your
prediction below.
I think the mass will go really fast because it is so light

Test your prediction using the simulation and describe what happens and why.
The puck went fast then went into the goal.

9) Click reset and clear the field by clicking on the clear button on the bottom. Make
sure your mass is back to 25. Drag a negative blue charge from the box. Position the
negative blue charge around the puck to make a goal and press start. Where did you
need to place it and why?
We needed to place the negative charge behind the puck so it will go into the goal.

Describe what happens to the electric force on the puck as it approaches the goal.
Why does this happen?
As it approaches the goal it scores.

Why does the puck keep moving even though as it passes the charge the force on it is
in the other direction?
Although the puck passes the charge there is still an electric field.

When the net force on an object is in the same direction as its motion, it
__accelerates_____________. (Hint: think about speed)

When the net force on an object is in the opposite direction of its motion, it __slows
down____________. (Hint: think about speed)

10) Reset and clear the field. Place a positive charge between the puck and the goal at a
height even with the top of the goal. Click the trace button on the bottom so it has a
check mark. Now use two other charges to score a goal. Once you have the correct
setup needed to score a goal, hit and hold the fn key and hit prt sc . This will
screenshot a picture of your laptop screen. Then paste the picture below.

Explain the reasoning behind the setup. In other words, how did the arrangement of
negative and positive charges push the puck into the goal?

11) Reset and clear the field. Click Difficulty 1. Use as many charges as you need to in
order to score a goal. Once you have the correct setup needed to score a goal,
screenshot it and paste the picture below.

Explain the reasoning behind the setup. In other words, how did the arrangement of
negative and/or positive charges push the puck into the goal?

12) Reset and clear the field. Now try Difficulty 2, between the barriers, using no more
than 8 charges (can be less). Once you have the correct setup needed to score a
goal, screenshot it and paste the picture below.

Explain the reasoning behind the setup. In other words, how did the arrangement of
positive charges push the puck into the goal?