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General Physics 2 
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Lab Activity 2 
Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law     30 minutes   

  Let’s Review 
In  a  virtual  surface,  we  can  imagine that a number of electric field lines pass through it and 

we  can  associate  it  with  its  electric  flux. Electric flux,  , is actually the rate of flow of the 

electric  field  passing  through  a  given  area,  having  the  term  flux  come  from  the  Latin  word 
which  means  “flow.”  Given  an  enclosed  surface  with  point  charges  or  charged  sheets,  the 
following should be kept in mind: 
a. The  total  electric  flux  is  directly  proportional  to  the  total  amount  of  charge  in  the 
closed surface and not dependent on the size of that surface. 
b. The  direction  of  the  electric  flux,  may  it  be  inward  or  outward,  is  dependent  on the 
sign of the enclosed charge. 
c. The  charges  outside  the  surface  are  negligible  in  determining  the  electric  flux 
through it. 
 

Mathematically,  electric  flux  can  be  calculated  using  the  formula    where  E 
is  the  electric  field  of  the  surface,  A  is  the  vector  normal  to  the  surface  and  θ  is  the  angle 
between E and A, which can be better visualized in Fig. 2.1. 
 

 
Fig. 2.1. Electric flux through surface A 
 
 

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Moreover,  Gauss’s  Law  helps  us  to  fully  understand  how  charges  are  distributed  over  a 
conducting  body.  It  can be described qualitatively as the total electric flux through a closed 
surface  being  directly  proportional  to  the  total  charge inside that surface and independent 

of  the  size  or  radius  of  that  surface.  Quantitatively,  it  is  expressed  as  ,  where 
Qencl is the total charge enclosed and 𝜀0 is the electric constant 8.85✕10-12 F/m. 
 

  Objectives 
At  the  end  of  this  laboratory  activity,  the  students  should  be  able to determine the electric 
potential difference simulated in a section of a cylinder or a sphere.  
 

  Materials 
● silver-ink pen 
● compass 
● carbon paper 
● cork board 
● metal thumbtacks 
● alligator clips 
● DC regulated power supply 
● voltmeter/multimeter 
● scientific calculator 
 

  Procedure 
Part A: Experimental Approach 
1. At  the  center  of  the  carbon  paper,  draw  a  small  circle  with  radius  equal  to  0.005  m 
with the help of a compass and the silver-ink pen. 
2. Draw a larger circle concentrically and this time with radius equal to 0.075 m.  
3. Place the carbon paper on top of a cork board and stick one thumbtack on any point 
on both circles. 
4. Set  the  DC power regulator to 10 V and connect the thumb tack on the smaller circle 
 

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to  the  regulator  using  alligator  clips  while  the  outer  circle  is  connected  to  the 
ground. 
5. Using  the  voltmeter,  measure  the  potential  at  eight  different  points  (0.005,  0.015, 
0.025, 0.035, 0.045, 0.055, 0.065, 0.075) along the radial lines between both circles.  
6. Record the measured electric potentials in column 1 of Table 2.1 at different points. 
7. Plot  the  points  on  the  space  provided  below,  assigning  the  electric  potential  (Vr)  in 
volts and the radius (r) in meters to the x- and y-axis of the graph. 
 

Reminder 
Make  sure  to  place  the  independent  variable  on  the  x-axis  and  the 
dependent variable on the y-axis. 

 
Part B: Theoretical Approach 
1. From  the  data  in  Table  2.1,  calculate  the  theoretical  electric  potential  at  any  point 
between spheres and concentric cylinders. 
2. In determining the theoretical electric potential between spheres, use the equation  

 
where:  
r  is  the  distance  from  the  center  of  the  sphere  given  by  the  five  different 
points mentioned above;  
R is the fixed radius of the outer sphere (r = 0.075 m); 
Q value equal to 6.0✕10-12 C.  

This will make the final equation to be: . 

3. Next,  calculate  the  electric  potential  as  a  function  of  radius  for  an  oppositely 
charged concentric cylinders using the formula 

 
where: 
R is the outer radius,  
V(rc) is the electric potential as a function of r, and 
𝜆 as the charge per unit length or the linear charge density (2.1✕10-10 C/m). 
 

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The final formula to be used then would be: . 

4. Record the answers in columns 3 and 4 of Table 2.1, respectively. 
5. Lastly,  plot  the  values  in  the  same  graph  in,  but  this  time,  connect using a solid line 
for cylindrical case and a dashed line for spherical case. 
 

Safety Precaution 
Remember  to  turn  on  the  DC  power  regulator  only  when  in  use  and 
make sure all connections are correct. 

 
 

  Data and Results 

Table 2.1. Electric potential values at varying points along the radial lines 

    Theoretical  Theoretical 
Radius, r (m)  Electric Potential,  Electric Potential  Electric Potential 
V(r) (V)  Between Spheres  Between 
V(rs) (V)  Concentric 
Cylinders V(rc) (V) 

0.005       

0.015       

0.025       

0.035       

0.045       

0.055       

0.065       

0.075       

 
 
 

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Electric potential vs radius graph 

 
 

  Calculations 
Use  the  space  provided  in  calculating  the  theoretical  electric  potential  between  spheres 

and  concentric  cylinders  using  the  formulas    and 

, respectively. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 

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  Guide Questions 
Answer the following questions.  
1. How would you describe the graph of the electrical potential and radius values? 

 
 
 

 
2. What relationship can be observed between the two variables used? Explain. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Between  the  concentric  cylinder  and  sphere,  which  do  you think may have a similar 
rate of electric flux passing it as compared to your experimental data? 

 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Is  it  essential  to  calculate  for  the  Q and λ values first before determining the electric 
potential values? Why? 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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  Conclusion 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  Bibliography 
Bauer,  W.,  and  Gary  D.  Westfall.  University  Physics  with  Modern  Physics.  New  York: 
McGraw-Hill, 2013. 
 
Hewitt, Paul G. 2010. Conceptual Physics (11th ed). New York: Pearson Education.   
 
Knight,  Randall  Dewey.  Physics  for  Scientists  and  Engineers:  a  Strategic  Approach with Modern 
Physics. Pearson, 2017. 
 
Serway,  Raymond  A.  and  John  W.  Jewett,  Jr.  Physics  for  Scientists  and  Engineers  with  Modern 
Physics (9th ed). USA: Brooks/Cole, 2014. 
 
Young,  Hugh  D.,  Roger  A.  Freedman,  and  A.  Lewis  Ford.  Sears  and  Zemansky’s  University 
Physics with Modern Physics (13th ed). USA: Pearson Education, 2012. 
 
   

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Lab Activity 2 
Electric Flux and Gauss’s Law 

 
Answer Key 
 

  Data and Results 

Table 2.1. Electric potential values at varying points along the radial lines 

    Theoretical  Theoretical 
Radius, r (m)  Electric Potential,  Electric Potential  Electric Potential 
V(r) (V)  Between Spheres  Between 
V(rs) (V)  Concentric 
Cylinders V(rc) (V) 

0.005    10.071  10.228 

 
0.015    2.878  6.078 
 
0.025    1.439  4.149 
 
0.035  Recorded potentials  0.822  2.878 
may vary. 
0.045  0.480  1.929 

0.055  0.262  1.171 

0.065  0.111  0.540 

0.075  0.000  0.000 

 
 
 
 
 
 

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  Calculations 
 

Let us consider a radius of 0.005 m. 

 
Theoretical electric potential between spheres 

 
 
Theoretical electrical potential between concentric cylinders 

 
Guide Questions: 
1. How would you describe the graph of the electrical potential and radius values? 

The graph between the electrical potential and radius shows a curved line similar 
to a hyperbola opening upward. The plotted points show that as the value of the 
radius increases the voltage value decreases.   

 
2. What relationship can be observed between the two variables used? Explain.  

The  graph  is  observed  to  be  inversely  proportional to each other. This means that 

when  the  electric  potential  value  increases,  the  radius  decreases  and  vice  versa. 
This  relationship  can  be  seen  from  the  recorded  voltage  and  radius  values  in 
Table 2.1. 

 
 
 

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3. Between  the  concentric  cylinder  and  sphere,  which  do  you think may have a similar 
rate of electric flux passing it as compared to your experimental data?  

From  the  graph,  it  can  be  seen  that  the  plotted  experimental  values  are  similar 
with  that  of  the  graph  of  the  cylindrical  case.  Connecting  the  points,  their  graph 
will  be  observed  to  lie  very  close  to  each  other. This can help us conclude that the 
configuration  done  in  Part  A  of  the  experiment  is  more  similar  to  the 
cross-sectional  area  of  a  concentric  cylinder  but  not  so  different  from  that  of  the 
sphere.  

 
4. Is  it  essential  to  calculate  for  the  Q and λ values first before determining the electric 
potential values? Why? 

Yes,  without  computing  first  for  the  value  of  Q  and  λ  we  cannot  predict  the 
theoretical  value  of  the  electric  potential  of  both  surfaces.  Predicting  the  values 
for  the  electric potential requires us to use our knowledge about Gauss’s Law and 
potential  difference  across  radii.  Since  the  outer  circle  is  grounded,  we  can  use 
this as a zero-potential reference point.  

  Process Skills Rubric 

Please  rate  your  students  from  0  to  5  where  0  is  “not  observed.”  Not  all  descriptors  are 
necessary for the process skills to be scored. 
 

Category  0  1  2  3  4  5 

Critical Thinking 

Analysis    Evaluate or rank    Evaluate or rank    Effectively evaluate 

Analyzing relevant  information  information with some  or rank information in 
info to form an  incorrectly in terms  errors in terms of the  terms of the 
argument or reach  of the usefulness  usefulness  usefulness 
conclusion  (importance) in  (importance) in  (importance) in 
supported with  supporting a  supporting a  supporting a 
evidence  conclusion.  conclusion.  conclusion. 

Synthesis    Minimally    Partially synthesizes    Effectively 

Synthesizing relevant  synthesizes and  and examines different  synthesizes and 

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info to form an  examines different  types of information to  examines different 
argument or reach  types of information  create a new  types of information 
conclusion  to create a new  understanding of  to create a new 
supported with  understanding of  project outcome  understanding of 
evidence  project outcome  project outcome 

Argument    Constructs weak    Constructs arguments:    Constructs effective 

Forming an  arguments: makes  makes claims (takes a  arguments: makes 
argument or reach  claims (takes a  position) and provides  claims (takes a 
conclusion  position) and  incomplete but  position) and provides 
supported with  provides minimal or  relevant evidence to  complete and 
evidence  irrelevant evidence  support it  relevant evidence to 
to support it  support it 

Critique    Provides a weak    Provides some analysis    Provides a compelling 

Evaluate relevant  analysis to minimally  to minimally compare  analysis to minimally 
info to form an  compare or critique  or critique results or  compare or critique 
argument or reach  results or arguments  arguments  results or arguments 
conclusion 
supported with 
evidence 

Information Processing 

Evaluating    Minimally evaluates,    Partially evaluates    Effectively evaluates 

Evaluating  or simply recognizes,  information for  information for 
information  information for  relevance or  relevance or 
relevance or  importance to the task  importance to the task 
importance to the 
task 

Interpreting    Inaccurately    Interprets information    Correctly interprets 

Interpreting  interprets  with some errors  information 
information  information 

Transforming    Minimally    Partially manipulates    Effectively 

Transforming or  manipulates or  or transforms  manipulates or 
manipulation  transforms  information from one  transforms 
information  information from  form to another  information from one 
one form to another  form to another 

Management 

Plan    Inadequately plans    Partially plans a course    Effectively plans a 

Planning one’s own  a course of action by  of action by describing  course of action by 
and other’s efforts to  describing or  or referring to a few of  describing or referring 
accomplish a goal  referring to a few of  the steps required to  to a few of the steps 
the steps required to  accomplish the goal  required to 

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accomplish the goal  accomplish the goal 

Organize    Minimally organizes    Partially organizes    Effectively organizes 

Organizing one’s own  tasks, time, and  tasks, time, and  tasks, time, and 
and other’s efforts to  resources with  resources with respect  resources with respect 
accomplish a goal  respect to the goal  to the goal  to the goal 

Direct    Minimally directs    Sometimes directs    Routinely directs 

Directing one’s own  tasks to group  tasks to group  tasks to group 
and other’s efforts to  members  members  members 
accomplish a goal 

Coordinate    Ineffectively    Sometimes coordinates    Effectively 

Coordinating one’s  coordinates a  a collective interaction  coordinates a 
own and other’s  collective interaction  among some group  collective interaction 
efforts to accomplish  among few group  members, including  among all group 
a goal  members, including  monitoring  members, including 
  monitoring  performance, to  monitoring 
  performance, to  accomplish the goal  performance, to 
  accomplish the goal  accomplish the goal 

Problem Solving 

Analysis    Minimally analyzes    Partially analyzes the    Effectively analyzes 

Identifying a strategy  the problem and  problem and identifies  the problem and 
that goes beyond  identifies a few  some pieces of key  identifies all key 
routine action to find  pieces of key  information and  information and 
a solution to a  information and  variables needed to  variables needed to 
situation or question  variables needed to  solve it  solve it 
solve it 

Strategy    Arrives at a strategy    Arrives at a strategy    Arrives at a strategy 

Planning a strategy  that is not  that is functional but  that is functional and 
that goes beyond  functional  not optimal  optimal 
routine action to find 
a solution to a 
situation or question 
 
 

Execution    Has serious flaws in    Has minor flaws in    Implements strategy 
Executing a strategy  implementing the  implementing the  effectively 
that goes beyond  strategy  strategy 
routine action to find 
a solution to a 
situation or question 

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Solution    Addresses a few    Addresses a most parts    Addresses all parts of 
Finding a solution to  parts of the problem  of the problem and  the problem and 
a situation or  and/or reaches a  reaches a reasonable  reaches a reasonable 
question  conclusion that is  conclusion   conclusion  
not reasonable 

Teamwork 

Interactions    Engages in    Engages in sporadic    Engages in 

Interacting with  infrequent  interactions or  continuous 
others  interactions or  communications among  interactions or 
communications  all group members  communications 
among group  among group 
members  members 

Contributions    Considers    Considers    Considers 

Building on each  contributions,  contributions,  contributions, 
other’s individual  strengths, and skills  strengths, and skills of  strengths, and skills of 
strengths and skills  of few group  most group members  all group members 
members 

Progress    Makes little    Makes moderate    Makes steady 

Making progress  progress towards a  progress towards a  progress towards a 
towards a goal  common goal, rarely  common goal, mostly  common goal, 
on track  on track  completely on track 

Cohesiveness    Minimally unites    Partially unites and    Effectively unites and 

Working towards a  and functions as a  functions as a cohesive  functions as a 
common goal  cohesive unit  unit  cohesive unit 

 
Adapted from Gil Reynders, Erica Suh, Renée S. Cole, and Rebecca L. Sansom, "Developing 
Student Process Skills in a General Chemistry Laboratory," Journal of Chemical Education 96, 
no. 10 (2019): 2109-2119, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00441.  
 

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