In this simulation, students investigate the electric field at various points along a line. They can activate one or two charged particles and set the charge from -30 to 30 nC. A graph showing the electric field as a function of position may be viewed or hidden. Net electric field is calculated at the bottom of the screen.
This applet was created with EJS, Easy Java Simulations, a modeling tool that allows users without formal programming experience to generate computer models and simulations.
SEE RELATED ITEMS on this page for a link to the full index of Andrew Duffy's EJS simulations.
Point Charge Electric Field in 1D Worksheet
A student worksheet for the Point Charge Electric Field 1D model. download 8kb .pdf
Last Modified: June 20, 2010
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Point Charge Electric Field in 1D Source Code
Source Code for the Point Charge Electric Field in 1D model. The source code zip archive contains an XML representation of the model. Unzip this archive in… more... download 5kb .zip
Last Modified: June 20, 2010
6-8: 11B/M1. Models are often used to think about processes that happen too slowly, too quickly, or on too small a scale to observe directly. They are also used for processes that are too vast, too complex, or too dangerous to study.
AAAS Benchmark Alignments (1993 Version)
4. THE PHYSICAL SETTING
G. Forces of Nature
4G (9-12) #3. There are two kinds of charges?positive and negative. Like charges repel one another, opposite charges attract. In materials, there are almost exactly equal proportions of positive and negative charges, making the materials as a whole electrically neutral. Negative charges, being associated with electrons, are far more mobile in materials than positive charges are. A very small excess or deficit of negative charges in a material produces noticeable electric forces.
4G (9-12) #4. Different kinds of materials respond differently to electric forces. In conducting materials such as metals, electric charges flow easily, whereas in insulating materials such as glass, they can move hardly at all. At very low temperatures, some materials become superconductors and offer no resistance to the flow of current. In between these extremes, semiconducting materials differ greatly in how well they conduct, depending on their exact composition.
11. COMMON THEMES
B. Models
11B (9-12) #1. The basic idea of mathematical modeling is to find a mathematical relationship that behaves in the same ways as the objects or processes under investigation. A mathematical model may give insight about how something really works or may fit observations very well without any intuitive meaning.
A. Duffy, Computer Program POINT CHARGE ELECTRIC FIELD IN 1D MODEL (2008), WWW Document, (http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9411&DocID=1574).
A. Duffy, Computer Program POINT CHARGE ELECTRIC FIELD IN 1D MODEL (2008), <http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9411&DocID=1574>.
Duffy, A. (2008). Point Charge Electric Field in 1D Model [Computer software]. Retrieved June 20, 2013, from http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9411&DocID=1574
Duffy, Andrew. "Point Charge Electric Field in 1D Model." http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9411&DocID=1574 (accessed 20 June 2013).
Duffy, Andrew. Point Charge Electric Field in 1D Model. Computer software. 2008. 20 June 2013 <http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9411&DocID=1574>.
%A Andrew Duffy %T Point Charge Electric Field in 1D Model %D August 27, 2009 %U http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9411&DocID=1574 %O application/java
%0 Computer Program %A Duffy, Andrew %D August 27, 2009 %T Point Charge Electric Field in 1D Model %8 August 27, 2009 %U http://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=9411&DocID=1574
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The Easy Java Simulations Modeling and Authoring Tool is needed to explore the computational model used in the Boston University Physics Easy Java Simulation: Electric Field in 1D.
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