Defining Electric Potential Difference
by Moving a Multimeter’s Ground
Probe
Marta R. Stoeckel, Tartan High School, Oakdale, MN
T
he abstract nature of electric potential difference (volt-
age) can make it a difficult concept to grasp, but un-
derstanding the relative nature of voltage is central to
developing a conceptual understanding of electric circuits.1,2
In laboratory situations, I see these conceptual difficulties
manifest when students have difficulty placing voltmeter
probes appropriately or struggle to interpret unexpected mul-
timeter readings, such as negative voltages. I developed this
lab activity to reinforce the relative nature of electric potential
difference and to provide students with a concrete under-
standing of what a voltmeter measures, including the signifi-
cance of the placement of each multimeter probe.
In this activity, students measure and plot the voltage along
a line in a uniform electric field using several placements of
the ground probe from a voltmeter. The initial setup for this
lab activity was inspired by an electric potential mapping lab
I first encountered in the Modeling Instruction physics cur-
riculum.3 I typically use this activity as a follow-up to map-
ping electric potentials since the maps provide opportunities
for conceptual links to gravitational potential energy that can
aid in the analysis of the results from this activity.
Students place a sheet of laminated grid paper or a plas-
tic ruler in the bottom of a tray. The tray is then filled with
enough tap water to cover the sheet of grid paper, usually
about 1-2 cm. A power supply is set to 5-10 V and the leads
are anchored in the water at adjacent corners of the grid (see
Fig. 1). While not necessary, clipping pennies to the power
supply leads provides some extra weight that can also help
keep the leads anchored. Alternatively, conductive paper4 can
be used in place of the laminated grid and water tray using a
Fig. 1. The multimeter’s measuring probe is moved along
the arrow to measure electric potential difference at
points between the power supply leads.
24 The Physics Teacher ◆ Vol. 56, J anuary 2018
similar setup to mapping the electric potential between two
small electrodes.5
For safety purposes, it is best to limit the maximum volt-
age available. With 10 V or less, there will be insufficient cur-
rent to shock a student who touches the water, even when us-
ing very hard tap water. Since the power supply simply needs
to provide a consistent voltage, it could be replaced with a
9-V battery to limit the maximum voltage.
Initially, the ground (black) probe of a voltmeter is at-
tached to the negative lead from the power supply. The volt-
meter’s measuring (red) probe is then used to plot voltage vs.
position along a line connecting the power supply leads, as
shown in Fig. 1. This will produce a graph with a vertical in-
tercept of zero and a slope equal to the magnitude of the elec-
tric field between the leads as described by the equation ΔV =
EΔx, where ∆V represents the voltage as measured from the
negative lead of the power supply, E represents the electric
field strength, and ∆x represents the distance from the nega-
tive lead of the power supply.
The data collection is then repeated with the ground probe
of the voltmeter placed in new positions, such as the mid-
point between the two power supply leads, as shown in Fig.
2. When these data are graphed, they should have the same
slope as the original data, but with a horizontal intercept that
corresponds to the new position of the ground probe.
To confirm the pattern, students should move the volt-
meter’s ground probe to the positive power supply lead and
repeat the data collection once more to produce a plot that
again has a slope that matches the first plot, but with a hori-
zontal intercept that matches the position of the positive lead.
Fig. 2. The multimeter’s ground probe is held in a new
position and the measuring probe is used to measure
electric potential difference along the same range of
positions.
DOI: 10.1119/1.5018683

Fig. 3. An example of data collected for this lab activity. The
horizontal intercept represents the position of the multimeter’s
ground probe.
The relationships between the three data sets can be further
reinforced by having students plot all three on the same set of
axes, as shown in Fig. 3.
In a discussion of the results, students usually connect the
data to position-vs.-time graphs in which the vertical inter-
cept is determined by the position at a time of zero relative
to an arbitrary origin; in this case, the vertical intercept is
determined by the electric potential at a position of zero rela-
tive to an arbitrarily defined ground. In discussing the slope,
students recognize that the consistent slopes indicate that the
change in electric potential between any pair of positions is
the same, regardless of the placement of the ground probe.
Another key element of the discussion of this lab is iden-
tifying what a negative electric potential represents. The
experience of moving the ground probe of the multimeter
provides a tangible connection to selecting a reference height
where gravitational potential energy is equal to zero. This en-
ables students to recognize that a negative reading on a volt-
meter indicates that the measuring probe is simply located
at a position with a lower electric potential than the ground
probe, just as a negative gravitational potential energy indi-
cates an object is at a position lower than the reference height.
The Physics Teacher ◆ Vol. 56, January 2018
This activity also supports students in effectively using
voltmeters in later labs involving quantitative circuit analy-
sis. Students’ instinct is often to always place the multimeter
ground probe at the negative terminal of a power supply or
battery, but their experience with moving the ground probe
as part of this lab translates easily to moving the ground
probe around a circuit to measure the potential difference
across specific elements. In addition, the understanding of
negative voltages that students develop during this lab pro-
vides a conceptual basis for interpreting negative voltages in
a circuit.
This simple lab activity gives students the opportunity to
develop a deeper conceptual understanding of voltage, in-
cluding its relative nature and the significance of a negative
value. It also provides students with the conceptual tools to
effectively use and interpret a voltmeter in quantitative circuit
analysis.
References
1. R. Cohen, B. Eylon, and U. Ganiel, “Potential difference and
current in simple electric circuits: A study of students’ con-
cepts,” Am. J. Phys. 51, 407 (May 1983).
2. L. C. McDermott and P. Shaffer, “Research as a guide for cur-
riculum development: An example from introductory electric-
ity, part I: Investigation of student understanding,” Am. J. Phys.
60, 994 (Nov. 1992).
3. More information on Modeling Instruction can be found on
the website of the American Modeling Teachers’ Association,
http://modelinginstruction.org/ .
4. From sources including PASCO scientific, 10101 Foothills
Blvd., Roseville, CA 95678-9011 or http://pasco.com (PASCO
PK-9025).
5. J. Phillips, J. Sanny, D. Berube, and A. Hoemke, “Beyond the
point change: Equipotential surfaces and electric fields of vari-
ous charge configurations,” Phys. Teach. 55, 71 (Feb. 2017).
Marta Stoeckel has been teaching physics and other science courses
for nine years. Currently, she teaches AP Physics 1, physics, and basic
chemistry. She has a BS in physics from Valparaiso University and an
MET in educational technology from Boise State University. Her interests
include Modeling Instruction, STEM integration, and teacher professional
development.
mstoeckel@isd622.org
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