Explanation of how a Van de Graaff generator works, with a demonstration of making one manually.

A power supply generated from falling water. Not explained until a later lecture.

Electric field inside a conductor is always zero. Charge on a conductor is distributed on the surface. Example of positive charge placed on a heart-shaped conductor.

Charge placed on a hollow conductor will be distributed only on the outside surface. Demonstration using a metal paint can showing that there is no electric field inside a charged hollow conductor. Electric shielding is defined.

No electric field inside a hollow conductor that is placed in an electric field. Electric shielding and the Faraday cage are defined.

If charge placed inside a hollow conductor, there will be an opposite charge distributed on inside surface and an equal charge on the outside surface of the conductor.

Using a paint can to show that a hollow conductor in an electric field has charge distributed on the outside but no charge on the inside surface. Bringing a radio into a giant Faraday cage to demonstrate electric shielding. Getting inside a charged Faraday cage to show there is no charge on the inside surface.

Finding the charge density and electric field for conductors that are not completely symmetric.

Charging up a metal cooking pot to show that there is higher charge density where the curvature is greater on a conductor.

How ionized water and gravity generate the large potential differences in the Kelvin Water Dropper.

Repositioning the components of the Kelvin Water Dropper to demonstrate other interesting behavior.

Definition with examples. Electric field is zero inside a conductor; conductors are equipotential objects. Equipotential defined; electric field lines perpendicular to equipotentials. Link to visualization of conductor with a net positive charge in equilibrium.

Link to visualization of electrostatic force.

Effects of placing charge inside or outside a hollow conductor, with diagrams and a link to a visualization on inductive charging.

Definitions, with diagrams and equations. Equations for energy stored in a capacitor.

Definition of shielding due to a hollow conductor, including a diagram and the definition of Faraday cage.

Conductors and insulators defined; e-fields inside conductors; uniqueness theorem and potential inside cavities.

Gauss's Law applied to conductors to show E = 0 inside, E_t = 0, surface is equipotential; charge in cavity; charge on connected spheres; force on conductors.

3-part Gauss's law problem; determining qualitative charge distributions for different locations of the charge.

Solution (PDF)

Calculating current, charge, capacitance delivered to Van de Graaff generator.

Solution (PDF)

Explaining creation of sparks in the apparatus.

Solution (PDF)

Drawing and explaining electric field near ellipsoid conductor.

Solution (PDF)

Explaining equipotentiality; comparing E-fields near spheres.

Solution (PDF)^#

Explaining charged object interaction with uncharged conductors and insulators.

Solution (PDF)^#

Applet demonstrating a method for charging a conductor without ever making direct contact.

Applet simulating the behavior of charges in a charged conducting slab.