Coulomb's Law EX-9930 012-12063B Page 1 of 9

Coulomb's Law
EQUIPMENT

1 Coulomb's Law Apparatus ES-9070A

1 Kilovolt Power Supply SF-9586
1 Basic Electrometer ES-9078A
1 Faraday Ice Pail ES-9042A
1 Charge Producers and Proof Plane ES-9057C
1 DataStudio Software CI-6870

INTRODUCTION

The Coulomb Balance (Figure 1) is a delicate torsion balance that can be used to investigate the
force between charged objects. A conductive sphere is mounted on a rod, counterbalanced, and
suspended from a thin torsion wire. An identical sphere is mounted on a slide assembly so it can
be positioned at various distances from the suspended sphere. To perform the experiment, both
spheres are charged, and the sphere on the slide assembly is placed at fixed distances from the
equilibrium position of the suspended sphere. The electrostatic force between the spheres causes
the torsion wire to twist. The experimenter then twists the torsion wire to bring the balance back
to its equilibrium position. The angle through which the torsion wire must be twisted to
reestablish equilibrium is directly proportional to the electrostatic force between the spheres. All
kq q
the variables of the Coulomb relationship ( F = 1 2 2 ) can be varied and measured using the
R
Coulomb Balance. The experimenter can verify the inverse square relationship and the charge
dependence using the balance and any electrostatic charging source.

Figure 1: Equipment Separated to Show Components

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THEORY

Take one gram of protons and place them one meter away from one gram of electrons. The
resulting force is equal to 1.5 x 1023 Newtons; roughly the force it would take to "lift" an object
from the surface of the Earth that had a mass about 1/5 that of the moon. So, if such small
amounts of charge produce such enormous forces, why does it take a very delicate torsion
balance to measure the force between charged objects in the laboratory? In a way, the very
magnitude of the forces is half the problem. The other half is that the carriers of the electrical
force-the tiny proton and the even tinier electron-are so small, and the electrons are so mobile.
Once you separate them, how do you keep them separated? The negatively charged electrons are
not only drawn toward the positively charged protons; they also repel each other. Moreover, if
there are any free electrons or ions between the separated charges, these free charges will move
very quickly to reduce the field caused by the charge separation. So, since electrons and protons
stick together with such tenacity, only relatively small charge differentials can be sustained in the
laboratory. This is so much the case that, even though the electrostatic force is more than a
billion-billion-billion-billion times as strong as the gravitational force, it takes a very delicate
torsion balance to measure the electrical force; whereas, the gravitational force can be measured
by weighing an object with a spring balance.

SET UP
1. Slide the copper rings onto the
counterweight vane, as shown in
Figure 2. Adjust the position of
the copper rings so the pendulum
assembly is level.

2. Reposition the index arm so it is

parallel with the base of the
torsion balance and at the same
height as the vane.

3. Adjust the height of the magnetic

damping arm so the
counterweight vane is midway
between the magnets.

4. Turn the torsion knob until the

index line for the degree scale is
aligned with the zero degree
mark.

5. Rotate the bottom torsion wire

retainer (do not loosen or tighten
the thumbscrew) until the index
line on the counterweight vane
aligns with the index line on the index arm.
Figure 2: Setting Up the Coulomb Balance

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Figure 3: Zeroing the Torsion Balance

6. Carefully turn the torsion balance on its side,

supporting it with the lateral support bar, as shown
in Figure 3. Place the support tube under the sphere,
as shown.

7. Adjust the positions of the copper rings on the

counterweight vane to realign the index line on the
counterweight with the index line on the index arm.

8. Place the torsion balance upright.

Figure 4: Slide Assembly Setup

9. Connect the slide assembly to the torsion balance as shown in Figure 4, using the coupling
plate and thumbscrews to secure it in position.

10. Align the spheres vertically by adjusting the height of the pendulum assembly so the spheres
are aligned: Use the supplied allen wrench to loosen the screw that anchors the pendulum
assembly to the torsion wire. Adjust the height of the pendulum assembly as needed.

11. Readjust the height of the index arm and the magnetic damping arm as needed to reestablish
a horizontal relationship.

12. Align the spheres laterally by loosening the screw in the bottom of the slide assembly that
anchors the vertical support rod for the sphere, using the supplied allen wrench (the vertical
support rod must be moved to the end of the slide assembly, touching the white plastic knob
to access the screw). Move the sphere on the vertical rod until it is laterally aligned with the
suspended sphere and tighten the anchoring screw.

13. Position the slide arm so that the centimeter scale reads 3.8 cm (this distance is equal to the
diameter of the spheres).

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14. Position the spheres by loosening the thumbscrew on top of the rod that supports the sliding
sphere and sliding the horizontal support rod through the hole in the vertical support rod until
the two spheres just touch. Tighten the thumbscrew.

At this point the experiment is ready. The degree scale should read zero, the torsion balance
should be zeroed (the index lines should be aligned), the spheres should be just touching, and the
centimeter scale on the slide assembly should read 3.8 cm. (This means that the reading of the
centimeter scale accurately reflects the distance between the centers of the two spheres.)

SOFTWARE SET UP

Start DataStudio and open the file called "ColoumbsLaw_A.ds".

PROCEDURE - FORCE VS. DISTANCE (PART A)

1. Be sure the spheres are fully discharged (touch them

with a grounded probe) and move the sliding sphere as
far as possible from the suspended sphere. Set the
torsion dial to 0 degrees. Zero the torsion balance by
appropriately rotating the bottom torsion wire retainer
until the pendulum assembly is at its zero displacement
position as indicated by the index marks.

Figure 5: Experimental Setup

2. With the spheres still at maximum separation, charge both the spheres to a potential of 6 kV,
using the charging probe. (One terminal of the power supply should be grounded.)
Immediately after charging the spheres, turn the power supply off to avoid high voltage
leakage effects.

3. Position the sliding sphere at a position of 20 cm. Adjust the torsion knob as necessary to
balance the forces and bring the pendulum back to the zero position.

4. Separate the spheres to their maximum separation, recharge them to the same voltage, then
reposition the sliding sphere at a separation of 20 cm. Measure the torsion angle and record
your results again. Repeat this measurement several times, until your result is repeatable to
within ± 1 degree.

5. Record the distance (R) and the angle (θ) in the Data Table "Twist Angle v Distance" in
DataStudio.

6. Repeat steps 1-5 for 14, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6 and 5 cm.

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ANALYSIS

1. Calculate the inverse square of the distance values and enter them into the Data Table "Twist
Angle v 1/(R^2)." Observe the resulting graph. Note: DataStudio automatically corrects the
data to resemble two point charges instead of two spheres.

2. Determine the functional relationship between force (which is proportional to the torsion
angle (θ)) and the distance (R).

PROCEDURE – FORCE VS. DISTANCE (PART B)

1. Be sure the spheres are fully discharged (touch them with a grounded probe) and move the
sliding sphere as far as possible from the suspended sphere. Set the torsion dial to 0 degrees.
Zero the torsion balance by appropriately rotating the bottom torsion wire retainer until the
pendulum assembly is at its zero displacement position as indicated by the index marks.

2. With the spheres still at maximum separation, charge both the spheres to a potential of 3 kV,
using the charging probe. (One terminal of the power supply should be grounded.)
Immediately after charging the spheres, turn the power supply off to avoid high voltage
leakage effects.

3. Position the sliding sphere at a position of 10 cm. Adjust the torsion knob as necessary to
balance the forces and bring the pendulum back to the zero position.

4. Open the DataStudio file "CoulombsLaw_B.ds." Record the Voltage (kV) and the angle (θ)
in the Data Table "Twist Angle v Voltage" in DataStudio.

ANALYSIS

1. Determine the functional relationship between force (which is proportional to the torsion angle
(θ)) and the charge (q) (which is proportional to the Voltage).

PROCEDURE – THE COULOMB CONSTANT (PART C)

In parts A and B of this lab, you determined (if all went well) that the electrostatic force between
two point charges is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the charges and
directly proportional to the charge on each sphere. This relationship is stated mathematically in
Coulomb's Law:

kq1 q 2
F=
R2

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where F is the electrostatic force, q1 and q2 are the charges, and R is the distance between the
charges. In order to complete the equation, you need to determine the value of the Coulomb
constant, k. To accomplish this, you must measure three additional variables: the torsion constant
of the torsion wire (Ktor), so you can convert your torsion angles into measurements of force, and
the charges, q1 and q2. Then, knowing F, q1, q2, and R, you can plug these values into the
Coulomb equation to determine k.

Measuring the Torsion constant, Ktor

Figure 6. Calibrating the Torsion Balance

1. Carefully turn the Torsion Balance on its side, supporting it with the lateral support bar, as
shown in Figure 6. Place the support tube under the sphere, as shown.

2. Zero the torsion balance by rotating the torsion dial until the index lines are aligned.

3. Open the DataStudio file "CoulombsLaw_C.ds" Record the angle of the degree plate in the
Data Table "Mass(mg) v Twist Angle" in DataStudio.

Figure 7. Placing the Mass on the Sphere

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4. Carefully place the 20 mg mass on the center line of the conductive sphere.

5. Turn the degree knob as required to bring the index lines back into alignment. Read the
torsion angle on the degree scale.

6. Record the angle in the Data Table "Mass (mg) v Twist Angle."

7. Repeat the previous steps, using the two 20 mg masses and the 50 mg mass to apply each of
the masses shown in the table. Each time record the mass and the torsion angle.

8. Convert the values of mass in mg to Newtons. Enter these values along with the
corresponding angles in the Data Table "Weight v Twist Angle."

9. Determine the value of the Torsion constant, Ktor from the graph of "Weight v Twist Angle."

Finding the Charge

Figure 8. Measuring the Charge with an Electrometer and a Faraday Ice Pail

The charge on the spheres can be measured more accurately using an electrometer with a
Faraday ice pail. The setup for the measurement is shown in Figure 8. The electrometer and ice
pail can be modeled as an infinite impedance voltmeter in parallel with a capacitor. A sphere
with a charge q is touched against the ice pail. Since the capacitance of the ice pail and
electrometer is much greater than that of the sphere, virtually all of the charge q is transferred
onto the ice pail. The relationship between the voltage reading of the electrometer and the charge
deposited into the system is given by the equation q = CV, where C is the combined capacitance

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of the electrometer, the ice pail, and the connecting leads. Therefore, in order to determine the
charge, you must know the capacitance of the system.
Finding the Capacitance of the System

1. First find the capacitance of the ice pail and the connecting leads. Attach the alligator
clips to the ice pail. Use a capacitor meter to measure the capacitance by placing one
lead of the capacitor meter to the inside of the coaxial cable and the other to the outside.
2. Add this value to the capacitance of the electrometer. The PASCO Basic Electrometer
maintains a capacitance of 30 pF. Record this value.

Measuring the Charges q1 and q2

1. Hang the third sphere from a horizontally mounted rod. At this point make certain that
the sphere is not in contact with anything.
2. Carefully charge the “sliding” sphere with the same voltage as in Part A (6.0 kV). Since
only one sphere is used, this charge is half the charge of the spheres from that section of
this experiment.
3. Transfer the charge to the hanging sphere by touching the “sliding” sphere to the hanging
sphere.
4. Place the hanging sphere in the middle of the ice pail in contact with the inside section.
5. Making sure it is grounded, connect the electrometer leads to the ice pail. Record the
value of the voltage.
6. Calculate the charge on one sphere using the equation:

q = CV

Remember that since this is half the charge, it must be multiplied by two. Remember, as
well, that this charge value represents just one of the spheres.

Re-written by Geoffrey R. Clarion