Rehmat Ali 2018391

PH 102 Electricity and Magnetism Lab

Open Ended Lab

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 Rehmat Ali 2018391

To determine and estimate the charge and number of electrons

induced on a piece of paper by charging the comb/pen and bringing it
close to the paper. Using Coulomb’s Law to estimate the charge.

The phenomenon is based on electric induction. When the comb/pen is

rubbed on hair/skin the electrons are deposited on surface of
comb/pen due to friction. Electrons transfer from hair/skin to
comb/pen. When comb/pen is taken near the paper, the charged
particles on comb/pen induce a charge on paper. The induction
phenomenon is show below:

The induction occurs when the negative charges on comb attract

positive charges on surface of paper and repel the negative charges. A
net attraction force is generated due to difference in magnitude of
force of attraction and force of repulsion. The difference occurs
because positive charges are nearer to source charge as compared to
negative charges.
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 Rehmat Ali 2018391
Keeping in view the fact that the paper is free to move the paper moves
up vertically and hence counters its weight; from where it becomes
easy for us to find the charge.

 Comb
 A4 paper with known density
 A meter Ruler
 A pair of scissors

• Cut the A4 sheet into 64 equal pieces.

• Take a comb & rub on your hair for 5-10 seconds.
• Bring it near the paper when it starts to attract it note the distance.
• Insert that distance (r) in the formula (1) given below & find the
charge.
• Fill those readings in an excel sheet & make the Table.

 Surface Density (𝜌): 75 𝑔𝑚−2 = 0.075x10-3 𝑘𝑔𝑚−2

 Area of one A4 sheet = 0.0624 𝑚2
 Weight of 1 Sheet = 4.68x10-3 kg x 9.81 𝑚𝑠 −2 = 0.046 N
 Weight of 1/64th of A4 = 0.046 N x 1/64 = 7.19 x 10-4 N
 Constant 𝑘 = 9𝑥109 N𝑚2 𝐶 −2

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 Rehmat Ali 2018391

𝑘𝑞1 𝑞2 𝑘 |𝑞2 |
(1) 𝐹= 2 ----------> (4) F =
𝑟 𝑟2
(2) 𝐹𝑒 = 𝐹𝑔
𝜌𝐴𝑔
(3) 𝑞 = 𝑟√
𝑘
*Since the charges induced on both comb and paper are equal in
magnitude so equation (1)
becomes equation (4).

The results of the experiment are cited in the table below. Using the
equation (4) we find the value “q”. The equation is given below.
𝐹
q = 𝑟√ -------------- (5)
𝑘

Sr . No. r (x10^-3 m ) q ( x10^-9 C )

1 7.8 2.21

2 8 2.26

3 8.2 2.32

4 8.4 2.37

5 8.6 2.43

6 9 2.54

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 Rehmat Ali 2018391

q (c )
2.65E-06

0.0000026

2.55E-06

0.0000025
Charge(mC)

2.45E-06

0.0000024

2.35E-06

0.0000023

2.25E-06
7.8 8 8.2 8.4 8.6 8.8 9 9.2
Distane(mm)

From the readings and calculated values in the table:

(2.21+2.26+2.32+2.37+2.43+2.54)∗10^−9
Average charge: = 2.36 × 10−9
6
Coulombs.

No. of Electrons:
𝑞
𝑁=
𝑒
N = (2.36x10-9C)
(1.60x10-19C)
𝑁 = 1.48 × 1010 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑠

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The experiment concludes with the results showing us that the average
charge induced on a piece of paper through an electrically charged
comb, when brought close together, is 2.36 × 10−9 Coulombs and the
average number of electrons deposited on the paper is 1.48 × 1010
electrons.

 Turn off any fans before conducting this experiment.

 Avoid parallax error while taking readings from meter/plastic
ruler.
 Rub your comb/pen with hair equal number of times for each
value of distance r measured.
 Perform the experiment in an isolated room where there is no
magnetic field or electric field involved.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper_size#A_series
 https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090922110041AAwIEg9
 https://www.google.com.pk/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd
=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwip3qngrbPTAhVMPxoKHcQsDWYQjRwIBw
&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkaiserscience.wordpress.com%2Fphysics%2Felectrom
agnetism%2Felectrostatics%2F&psig=AFQjCNGus7Jm-
Wj0Rs8Q9D4c1i2Y3C0yzQ&ust=1492788785019654

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