Inverse Square Law

As one of the natural phenomena which obeys the general inverse square law, the light from a point source can be put in the form shown below. The inverse square law applies when conserved quantities like a force such as gravity is originating from a point source, or energy is radiating from a point source. As the radius of the sphere increases the power is distributed over an increasing surface area (4r !.
I= P 4 # r "

where $ is called intensity and % is called power.

% %

$f you have determined the amount of light per unit area reaching & meter, then it will be one fourth as much at " meters. ('ource! http())hyperphysics.phy*astr.gsu.edu)hbase)vision)isql.html

Measurement of Power as a Function of Distance

Purpose: +easure how the power decreases as the distance from the source increases. Student Info: &! ,esigned for %hysical 'cience (-)&.! and)or %hysics (&&)&"! "! %rior /nowledge( 0raphing, $nverse 1unctions, 'urface Area of a 'phere 2! 'uggested 3ebsites( http())hyperphysics.phy*astr.gsu.edu)hbase)vision)isql.html http())en.wikipedia.org)wiki)$nverse*square4law http())csep&..phys.utk.edu)astr&5")lect)light)intensity.html

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Teacher Info: &! %rior /nowledge( 6'7T 8peration "! 6ocabulary( $nverse, inverse square law and gravitation 2! 'uggested 3ebsite(s! http())hyperphysics.phy*astr.gsu.edu)hbase)vision)isql.html Time Required: &! 'etup 9 &. min 2! ,ata Analysis 9 2. min "! Activity ) :ab 9 2. min 4! ,iscussion ) 3rap ;p 9 2. min

Materials Needed: &! 6'7T 'ystem ('ee Appendi< $! "! =ompact 1luorescent :ight (=1:! 2! +eterstick (&..cm! or tape measure (&. feet or more!

Procedure: &! %lace the active :>?1s ne<t to each other (@".A inch baseline from center to center!. "! =onstruct a data table in your lab notebook to record the distance of the bulb from the detectors and the power reading at that distance. 2! 7ecord the measurements between "4 and B" inches at intervals of 5 inches.

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Data Ta le: ,istance CdD in EfeetF ".. ".A 2.. 2.A 4.. 4.A A.. A.A 5.. +easured #%ower E/F $nverse 'quare 1it ## a ) d" G ,ifference

# 'ee ?asic 6'7T 8peration for a discussion of %ower E/F. ## a H &5 < (%ower at dH4 feet! !raphin": &! ;sing a computer or graphing calculator, graph the %ower E/F vs. distance. "! 8n the same graph, plot the inverse square law fit Ca)d"D vs. distance. 2! 'ketch the curve fit for the measured data and compare to the theoretical curve. #alculations: &! =alculate the CaD fit coefficient ( a H &5 < (%ower at 4 feet! " e<ample( I&."A < (4! H &2.. "! ,etermine a ) d" Jfor each measured distanceK 2! 1ind G difference H J (+easured L 1it ! ) 1it K < &..G

$uestions: &. $f the output of the bulb is essentially constant, why do the power values diminish with increasing distanceM

". 3hat is the average percent difference between the measured and theoretical power valuesM

2. $n words, what does this meanM

4. 3hat is the correlation between the measured and theoretical curvesM

A. $n words, what does this meanM

5. The detectors are sensitive to radio waves (N 9 & inch!. The radio source is a light bulbO would you e<pect a similar result for a photosensitive detectorM P<plain.

B. =ompare the measured power at 4 feet to the measured power at " feet. Qow does this compare to the theoretical e<pectationM

I. 3hat are the sources of errorM $s there evidence for the saturation of the detectorsM