Three charged particles are shown in the animation along with their electric potential. You can click drag any of these particles. Holding the mouse down on any location shows the x and y position of that location and the potential,V, at that location in a box at the bottom of the simulation. Double clicking in any location draws the equipotential surface through that location.
Click on the charges to get the equipotential lines to appear. Double click in several different locations on the screen to see more eqipotential surfaces.
Hold the mouse button down so you can see the value of the potential, V (in volts), at the bottom of the screen and carefully trace one of the equipotential lines. What is an equipotential line?
Hold the mouse down NEAR (but not on) charge a and drag towards charge b while noticing the potential in the box at the bottom of the screen. What happens to the potential as you drag the mouse from charge a to charge b? From b to c? From c to a?
Which charges are positive and which are negative? How do you know?
List the chages in descending order of magnitude. How did you determine this?