Electricity and Magnetism > Electric Fields and Potential > Potential DCS# 5B10.70
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL MODEL

APPARATUS
rubber sheet 202-18-D5
bicycle rim 202-18-E
rubber tubing
 202-18-D5
wooden dowels
 202-18-D5
wooden feet
 202-18-D5
DESCRIPTION
A rubber sheet is stretched over a bicycle wheel rim to represent a region of uniform potential.  Rounded wooden dowels can be placed under the sheet to represent positive charges.  The magnitude of the charge is proportional to the height of the dowel measured from the sheet.  The height of the sheet drops off roughly as Q/r.  Rods can be pushed into the sheet from above to represent negative charges.  The slope of the rubber sheet represents the field strength.

REFERENCE
AJP 28(7),644