Los Altos Physics
Electric Field Hockey
Electric Field Hockey - Computer Simulation Lab
Objective: The objective of this computer simulation of for students to gain physical intuition for
the nature of the electric force field created by an array of static charged particles. Students will
create charged particle arrays that result in an electric force field designed to accelerate a charged
particle towards a specific location.
Learning Objectives:
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Small changes in charge position can have large affects in the resulting of the electric field.
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The net electric field at a point in space is the vector addition of electric fields of all charged
particles in space.
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Electric charges with the same polarity repel each other (+ + or - -).
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Electric charges with opposite polarity attract each other (+ - or - +).
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The electric force is strong when particles are close together.
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The electric force is weak when particles are far apart.
Procedure:
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Partner in academic pairs.
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Open a blank Word document, write your group’s names, class period and meaningful title
on the first few lines. The first two names on the document will receive credit.
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Save the document on the LA705 server in the appropriate shared student folder. Use your
group’s names as the file name. Example: adamr-nolanr
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Start Electric Field Hockey.
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Read through the instructions and learn how to play the game.
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Score goals using no more than three of your own charges for each level. Try to create
elegant solutions by using the least number of charges possible. Do not place a charge in
the actual goal!
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For each completed level, press (Alt+PrintScrn) to copy an image of the active window into
the computer’s memory.
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Briefly describe each completed level in proximity to the pasted image in terms of how you
specifically manipulated the electric field to score a goal. Example: We placed a like charge
along the line we wanted the hockey puck to follow and really close to the puck to give it a
large initial force in the direction we wanted the puck to accelerate in. Then we put an unlike
Los Altos Physics
Electric Field Hockey
charge close the puck’s path in an attempt to attract the puck and make it centripetally
accelerate around a corner and into the goal.
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Earn 1 point for every completed level pasted in your document and 2 points for a correct,
meaningful description.
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Complete at least 4 levels.
Who, What, Where and When to turn in:
Who: Academic groups of two.
What: One clearly labeled Word document with one screen shot for each completed level +
descriptions.
Where: LA705 server Æ student share folder Æ period X Æ Electric Field Hockey folder
When: Tuesday, February 5th , 2013 or Wednesday, February 6th, 2013