Electric charge

About this lab: Electric charge

Interactive static electricity lab for Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 topic 4.2 Electric charge: rub a balloon on a sweater, a polythene or acetate rod on wool, a glass rod on silk, ebonite on fur or a comb through hair and watch the electrons move; stick the balloon to a wall and see the induced charge, lift bits of paper, test the charge with a pith ball and a gold-leaf electroscope; compare conductors and insulators in a circuit and read Q = It; and drag a test charge through the field of a point charge, a charged sphere, parallel plates and pairs of charges.

IGCSE Physics 0625, topic 4.2. Charging by friction, forces between charges, conductors and insulators, current as charge flow, and electric field patterns.

Electric charge is a free, browser-based simulation for Cambridge IGCSE Physics 0625 (topic 4 Electricity and magnetism, section 4.2 Electrical quantities). The course is assessed in Papers 1 and 2 (multiple choice), 3 and 4 (theory), 5 (practical test) and 6 (alternative to practical). There are 3 tabs, each a self-contained experiment with its own controls and live readings, and nothing to install: it runs on a laptop, tablet or classroom projector.

Syllabus coverage

• 4.2.1 State that there are positive and negative charges
• 4.2.1 State that positive charges repel other positive charges, negative charges repel other negative charges, but positive charges attract negative charges
• 4.2.2 Know that electric current is related to the flow of charge
• 4.2.2 Describe the use of ammeters (analogue and digital) with different ranges
• 4.2.3 Define electromotive force (e.m.f.) as the electrical work done by a source in moving a unit charge around a complete circuit
• 4.2.3 Know that e.m.f. is measured in volts (V)
• 4.2.4 Recall and use the equation for resistance R = V I
• 4.2.5 Understand that electric circuits transfer energy from a source of electrical energy, such as an electrical cell or mains supply, to the circuit components and then into the surroundings
• Lessons on this topic: Electric charge: positive, negative, and friction charging, Electric field patterns around charges, Electric current: ammeters, AC vs DC, Current as charge flow: I = Q ÷ t, EMF and potential difference (voltmeters).

Full syllabus map: IGCSE Physics 0625 topic 4.

How to use this simulation

1. 1. Static electricity bench.
2. 2. Conductors and charge flow.
3. 3. Electric fields.
4. The buttons at the end of the tab strip give the scene the whole window (Full screen, Hide controls) and, on a dark stage, a projector-friendly palette (Light scene). Many scenes also have drag handles: drag them to change the set-up directly.

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