STUDENT’S LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET IN GRADE 12 GENERAL PHYSICS 2
Name: Quingco, Rivera, Arsula, Abalos, Guillar, Mohanna, Bulangis
Grade / Section: 12 STEM C
Activity No.: 12 (Second Semester)
Activity Title: Experimental Investigation 3 – Capacitors Virtual Lab
I. Learning Experience
A. Clarifying Understanding
CAPACITOR LAB
❖ Open the PhET Simulation on Capacitor Lab,
http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/capacitor-lab.
❖ Check the boxes on that say plate charge, electric field lines, capacitance,
plate charge, stored energy, and voltmeter.
❖ Perform the exercises below. Ensure that the graphs have titles, put x and y
axis titles with units, trendline, equation on graphs, and r squared value.
Exercise 1: Graph of Voltage vs Charge
1. Write down the measured capacitance in the space provided below.
Capacitance: _________________________________
2. Write down the top plate charge for the different voltage values given in Table 1.
Voltage (V) Top Plate Charge (C) Top Plate Charge (pC)
0 0.0 0.0
0.5 0.18 0.18
1.0 0.28 0.28
1.5 0.44 0.44
3. Once you have completed the table, graph charge on the y- axis and the voltage on
the x-axis.
4. Include an equation on the graph and R2 value.
5. Once you have the equation, find the value of the capacitance from your graph.
6. Use the measured value of the capacitance and the calculated value to find the
percent error.
Show Work!
Exercise 2: Graph of Capacitance vs Plate Area
1. Reset the simulation and set the plate separation to 10 mm.
2. Record the capacitance for each of the area settings you see in Table 2. (Move the
plate arrow to control the area settings in the settings in the simulation.)
Plate Area (mm2) Capacitance (F) Capacitance (pF)
0 0 0
100 0.09 0.09
150 0.13 0.13
200 0.18 0.18
250 0.22 0.22
300 0.27 0.27
350 0.31 0.31
400 0.35 0.35
3. In Excel, graph the Capacitance on the y – axis versus the Area on the x – axis.
4. Include an equation and R squared value on your graph.
5. Once you have the equation find the value of the plate separation from your graph.
6. Use the measured value of the capacitance and the calculated value to find the
percent error.
Show Work!
Exercise 3: Graph of Capacitance vs Separation Distance (d) and Capacitance vs.
𝟏/d
1. Reset the simulation and set the plate separation to 10 mm2.
2. Record the capacitance for each of the area settings you see in Table 3. (Move the
plate arrow to control the area settings in the settings in the simulation.)
Separation (mm) 1/separation (mm - Capacitance (F) Capacitance (pF)
1
)
5.0 4 1.77 1.77
6.0 5 1.48 1.48
7.0 6 1.23 1.23
8.0 7 1.08 1.08
9.0 8 0.98 0.98
10.0 9 0.85 0.85
3. In Excel, graph the Capacitance on the y – axis versus the Plate separation on the x
– axis. You do not need to put an equation or r2 value on this graph.
4. Determine the trendline of the graph. To do this, make a second graph in Excel with
the Capacitance on the y – axis and 𝟏𝒅⁄ on the x – axis.
5. Include an equation and R squared value on your graph.
6. Once you have the equation, find the value plate separation from your graph.
Show Work!
7. Use the measured value of the capacitance and the calculated value to find the
percent error.
Show Work!
B. Processing Questions
1. How does the electric field change as you move from the positive to the negative
plate?
-electric field between the positive and negative plates of a parallel plate capacitor is
constant and uniform, and its magnitude decreases as you move away from the positive
plate and approach the negative plate.
2. What is the electric field outside of the area directly between the plates?
- If there are external charges or other nearby conductors, the electric field outside the
capacitor may be affected by their presence, but the field will still generally be much
weaker than the field between the plates.
C. Framing Concepts
Directions: Given the graphic organizer below, write down what you have learned on the
Experimental Investigation.
