Electric Field

The Electric Field Concept Builder includes 52 questions organized into 18 different Question Groups and spread aross three unique and independent activities. Each activity has a different emphasis. The first activity - Ranking Tasks - emphasizes the ranking of three locations according to their electric field value and based upon their given distance from a source charge with a given amount of charge. In the second activity - Case Studies - students are given a diagram with two locations marked. The distance of that location from a source charge and the amount of charge on the source charge are given. Students must tell which location has the greatest electric field value and by what factor it is greater. In the third activity - Givng Value to E - students are given a diagram with locations X and Y marked, some whole number radius from the center of a source charge. The electric field value is given for location A and students must use the inverse square law to determine the electric field value at location Y. None of the activities are dependent upon each other. Any one can be done at the exclusion of the others.

Teachers are encouraged to either do the activity or view the questions (below) to make a judgement about the suitability of each of the activites for their classes. 

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Electric Field


 
Activity 1 – Ranking Tasks
Question Group 1
Question 1
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with varying amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 
Question 2
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with varying amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 
Question 3
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with varying amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 
Question Group 2
Question 4
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with the same amount of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 
Question 5
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with the same amount of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 

 
Question 6
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with the same amount of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 




 
Question Group 3
Question 7
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 
Question 8
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 
 

 
Question 9
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 



 
Question Group 4
Question 10
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 



 
Question 11
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 



 
Question 12
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 
 

 
Question Group 5
Question 13
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 

 
Question 14
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 
Question 15
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 
Question Group 6
Question 16
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 
 

 
Question 17
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 
Question 18
Three Van de Graaff generators are charged with different amounts of charge. Three locations – A, B, and C - are shown. The relative charge of each generator (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown. Rank the three locations according to their electric field strength.
 

 

 
Activity 2 – Case Study: A versus B
 
Question Group 7
Question 19
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two identically-charged Van de Graaff generators. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.


The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.

 
 
Question 20
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two identically-charged Van de Graaff generators. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.




Question 21
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two identically-charged Van de Graaff generators. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.
 
 
Question Group 8
Question 22
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two identically-charged Van de Graaff generators. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.



Question 23
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two identically-charged Van de Graaff generators. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.


 
Question 24
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two identically-charged Van de Graaff generators. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.




Question Group 9
Question 25
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.


 
 
Question 26
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.



Question 27
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.

 
 
Question Group 10
Question 28
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.



Question 29
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.

 
 
Question 30
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.



Question Group 11
Question 31
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.

 
 
Question 32
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.



Question Group 12
Question 33
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.

 
 
Question 34
Consider two locations – A and B – in the space surrounding two Van de Graaff generators. The charge on each is different. The relative amount of charge on each (expressed in terms of Q) and the relative distance of each location from the generator’s center (expressed in terms of R) are shown.

 
The electric field strength is greatest at location ________ …
… by a factor of ________.


 
Activity 3:  Value of E
 
Question Group 13
Question 35
The value of the electric field strength on the surface of a Van de Graaff generator (location X) is 100.0 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC), accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.

 

 
Question 36
The value of the electric field strength on the surface of a Van de Graaff generator (location X) is 90.0 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC), accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.



 
Question 37
The value of the electric field strength on the surface of a Van de Graaff generator (location X) is 80.0 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.


 
 

 
Question Group 14
Question 38
The value of the electric field strength on the surface of a Van de Graaff generator (location X) is 100.0 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.

 

 

 
 
Question 39
The value of the electric field strength on the surface of a Van de Graaff generator (location X) is 90.0 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.

 

 
 

 
Question 40
The value of the electric field strength on the surface of a Van de Graaff generator (location X) is 80.0 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.



 
Question Group 15
Question 41
The value of the electric field strength on the surface of a Van de Graaff generator (location X) is 360.0 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.

 

 

 
Question 42
The value of the electric field strength on the surface of a Van de Graaff generator (location X) is 160.0 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.

 
 

 
Question 43
The value of the electric field strength on the surface of a Van de Graaff generator (location X) is 270.0 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.
 

 



 
Question Group 16
Question 44
The value of the electric field strength at location Xis 23.5 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) on the surface of the Van de Graaff generator (location Y).

 

 
 
Question 45
The value of the electric field strength at location Xis 21.2 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) on the surface of the Van de Graaff generator (location Y).

 



 
Question 46
The value of the electric field strength at location Xis 19.6 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) on the surface of the Van de Graaff generator (location Y).



 
Question Group 17
Question 47
The value of the electric field strength at location Xis 38.6 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) on the surface of the Van de Graaff generator (location Y).

 
 

 
Question 48
The value of the electric field strength at location Xis 17.2 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) on the surface of the Van de Graaff generator (location Y).



Question 49
The value of the electric field strength at location Xis 29.5 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) on the surface of the Van de Graaff generator (location Y).

 

 
Question Group 18
Question 50
The value of the electric field strength at location Xis 14.5 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.
 

 

 
Question 51
The value of the electric field strength at location Xis 10.5 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.
 

 


 
 
 
 

Question 52
The value of the electric field strength at location Xis 17.2 N/mC. Determine the electric field strength (in N/mC, accurate to the second decimal place) at location Y.