## Activity: Using Technology to Visualize Potentials

AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021 Static Fields Winter 2021 Static Fields Winter 2022
Begin by prompting the students to brainstorm different ways to represent a three dimensional scalar field on a 2-D surface (like their paper or a whiteboard). The students use a pre-made Sage code or a Mathematica worksheet to visualize the electrostatic potential of several distributions of charges. The computer algebra systems demonstrates several different ways of plotting the potential.
What students learn
• How to represent 3-d scalar fields in several different ways;
• The symmetries of a some simple charge distributions such as a dipole and a quadrupole.
• Media
• group Equipotential Surfaces

group Small Group Activity

120 min.

##### Equipotential Surfaces

Students are prompted to consider the scalar superposition of the electric potential due to multiple point charges. First a single point charge is discussed, then four positive charges, then an electric quadrupole. Students draw the equipotential curves in the plane of the charges, while also considering the 3D nature of equipotentials.
• group Electrostatic Potential Due to a Ring of Charge

group Small Group Activity

30 min.

##### Electrostatic Potential Due to a Ring of Charge
AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021 Static Fields Winter 2021 Static Fields Winter 2022

Power Series Sequence (E&M)

Ring Cycle Sequence

Students work in groups of three to use the superposition principle $V(\vec{r}) =\frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\int\frac{\rho(\vec{r}^{\,\prime})}{\vert \vec{r}-\vec{r}^{\,\prime}\vert} \, d\tau^{\prime}$ to find an integral expression for the electrostatic potential, $V(\vec{r})$, everywhere in space, due to a ring of charge.

In an optional extension, students find a series expansion for $V(\vec{r})$ either on the axis or in the plane of the ring, for either small or large values of the relevant geometric variable. Add an extra half hour or more to the time estimate for the optional extension.

• group Electrostatic Potential Due to a Pair of Charges (with Series)

group Small Group Activity

60 min.

##### Electrostatic Potential Due to a Pair of Charges (with Series)
AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021 Static Fields Winter 2021 Static Fields Winter 2022

Power Series Sequence (E&M)

Ring Cycle Sequence

Students work in small groups to use the superposition principle $V(\vec{r}) = \frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\sum_i \frac{q_i}{\vert\vec{r}-\vec{r}_i\vert}$ to find the electrostatic potential $V$ everywhere in space due to a pair of charges (either identical charges or a dipole). Different groups are assigned different arrangements of charges and different regions of space to consider: either on the axis of the charges or in the plane equidistant from the two charges, for either small or large values of the relevant geometric variable. Each group is asked to find a power series expansion for the electrostatic potential, valid in their group's assigned region of space. The whole class wrap-up discussion then compares and contrasts the results and discuss the symmetries of the two cases.
• group Electric Field Due to a Ring of Charge

group Small Group Activity

30 min.

##### Electric Field Due to a Ring of Charge
AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021 Static Fields Winter 2021 Static Fields Winter 2022

Power Series Sequence (E&M)

Ring Cycle Sequence

Students work in groups of three to use Coulomb's Law $\vec{E}(\vec{r}) =\frac{1}{4\pi\epsilon_0}\int\frac{\rho(\vec{r}^{\,\prime})\left(\vec{r}-\vec{r}^{\,\prime}\right)}{\vert \vec{r}-\vec{r}^{\,\prime}\vert^3} \, d\tau^{\prime}$ to find an integral expression for the electric field, $\vec{E}(\vec{r})$, everywhere in space, due to a ring of charge.

In an optional extension, students find a series expansion for $\vec{E}(\vec{r})$ either on the axis or in the plane of the ring, for either small or large values of the relevant geometric variable. Add an extra half hour or more to the time estimate for the optional extension.

• computer Visualization of Quantum Probabilities for a Particle Confined to a Ring

computer Mathematica Activity

30 min.

##### Visualization of Quantum Probabilities for a Particle Confined to a Ring
Central Forces Spring 2021

Quantum Ring Sequence

Students see probability density for eigenstates and linear combinations of eigenstates for a particle on a ring. The three visual representations: standard position vs probability density plot, a ring with colormapping, and cylindrical plot with height and colormapping, are also animated to visualize time-evolution.
• group Magnetic Field Due to a Spinning Ring of Charge

group Small Group Activity

30 min.

##### Magnetic Field Due to a Spinning Ring of Charge
AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021 Static Fields Winter 2021 Static Fields Winter 2022

Power Series Sequence (E&M)

Ring Cycle Sequence

Students work in groups of three to use the Biot-Savart law $\vec{B}(\vec{r}) =\frac{\mu_0}{4\pi}\int\frac{\vec{J}(\vec{r}^{\,\prime})\times \left(\vec{r}-\vec{r}^{\,\prime}\right)}{\vert \vec{r}-\vec{r}^{\,\prime}\vert^3} \, d\tau^{\prime}$ to find an integral expression for the magnetic field, $\vec{B}(\vec{r})$, due to a spinning ring of charge.

In an optional extension, students find a series expansion for $\vec{B}(\vec{r})$ either on the axis or in the plane of the ring, for either small or large values of the relevant geometric variable. Add an extra half hour or more to the time estimate for the optional extension.

• group Magnetic Vector Potential Due to a Spinning Charged Ring

group Small Group Activity

30 min.

##### Magnetic Vector Potential Due to a Spinning Charged Ring
AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021 Static Fields Winter 2021 Static Fields Winter 2022

Power Series Sequence (E&M)

Ring Cycle Sequence

Students work in groups of three to use the superposition principle $\vec{A}(\vec{r}) =\frac{\mu_0}{4\pi}\int\frac{\vec{J}(\vec{r}^{\,\prime})}{\vert \vec{r}-\vec{r}^{\,\prime}\vert}\, d\tau^{\prime}$ to find an integral expression for the magnetic vector potential, $\vec{A}(\vec{r})$, due to a spinning ring of charge.

In an optional extension, students find a series expansion for $\vec{A}(\vec{r})$ either on the axis or in the plane of the ring, for either small or large values of the relevant geometric variable. Add an extra half hour or more to the time estimate for the optional extension.

• group Establish Classroom Norms

group Small Group Activity

60 min.

##### Establish Classroom Norms
Theoretical Mechanics Fall 2020 Theoretical Mechanics Fall 2021

• group Visualization of Divergence

group Small Group Activity

30 min.

##### Visualization of Divergence
Vector Calculus II Fall 2021 AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021 Vector Calculus II Summer 21 Static Fields Winter 2021 Static Fields Winter 2022 Students predict from graphs of simple 2-d vector fields whether the divergence is positive, negative, or zero in various regions of the domain using the definition of the divergence of a vector field at a point: The divergence of a vector field at a point is flux per unit volume through an infinitesimal box surrounding that point. Optionally, students can use a Mathematica notebook to verify their predictions.
• assignment_ind Gravitational and Electrostatic Potential

assignment_ind Small White Board Question

10 min.

##### Gravitational and Electrostatic Potential
AIMS Maxwell Fall 21 AIMS Maxwell Spring 2021
• Brainstorm several different ways in which you might visualize a scalar field in three dimensions, using graphs. You might want to use the electrostatic potential $V$ due to some simple configurations like a quadrupole of charges as examples.
• After you have brainstormed ideas of your own, open this Sage code or this Mathematica worksheet and explore some of the ways implemented there. If you have a different visualization, please bring it to the attention of the teaching team and we may incorporate it next year!

## Instructor's Guide

### Prerequisites

We find it valuable to use this activity AFTER students have done the activity Drawing Equipotential Surfaces. This pair of activities bolster students' geometric sensemaking of potentials. We have successfully used this pair of activities both before and after Electrostatic Potential Due to a Pair of Charges (with Series).

### Introduction

This activity starts with prompting the students to brainstorm different ways to represent a three dimensional scalar field on a 2-D surface (like their paper or a whiteboard). (  5 minutes, can be done as a whole class discussion or in small groups.)

### Student Conversations

It is a good idea to put the least computationally confident member of each group at the keyboard. This helps to ensure that everyone is comfortable with the technology. Do not hesitate to encourage a group to change its typist if the current one is typing too quickly.

This activity can be used very effectively in a context where students are asked to brainstorm about ways in which they might graphically represent the electrostatic potential. They should be reminded to think about the fact that the electrostatic potential is a scalar field, i.e. it is a number (with appropriate units) at every point in THREE dimensional space. In a whole class setting, as the students generate ideas, the instructor projects each choice from the Mathematica worksheet for the students to examine/discuss.

A pedagogically useful representation is for each number at a point to be represented by a color. Then the students can imagine how they would try to show this “sea” of colors on a two-dimensional graph.

If students are new to using Mathematica, it is well worth showing them how to create a new line so they can enter new mathematical input. This requires moving the mouse between existing blocks; the pointer should change to a horizontal line.

### Wrap-up

Consider adding the Surfaces activity Equipotential Surfaces.

Author Information
Corinne Manogue
Learning Outcomes