Electrostatic Field Lines and a Faraday Cage

The electrostatic field lines around a point charge and a cylinder. The electric fields are shown by placing the two charged objects in a pan filled with cooking oil and pepper flakes. The pepper flakes align in the electric field and allow visualization of the field. In this image the left point is charged to -30,000 volts while the right ring has a potential of + 30,000 volts. This image is part of a series showing different charging conditions. Of special importance is the lack of fields showing inside the cylinder. This is the classic case of no electrical fields inside an electrical conductor. In this image the cylinder acts as a Faraday cage and shields the enclosed area from any external electrical fields..

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Filename: K11-efield012.JPG
Copyright: Ted Kinsman / Science Source Inc.
Image Size: 5568x3288 / 12.8MB; e fields electric fields fields e-m physics gauss gauss's gauss's law law gaussian surface enclosed charge physics demo science test charge similar charges electrostatic high voltage voltage potential high potential electricity parallel plates plates charge configuration unlike charges Faraday Faraday cage Michael faraday
Contained in galleries: science

The electrostatic field lines around a point charge and a cylinder. The electric fields are shown by placing the two charged objects in a pan filled with cooking oil and pepper flakes. The pepper flakes align in the electric field and allow visualization of the field. In this image the left point is charged to -30,000 volts while the right ring has a potential of + 30,000 volts. This image is part of a series showing different charging conditions. Of special importance is the lack of fields showing inside the cylinder. This is the classic case of no electrical fields inside an electrical conductor. In this image the cylinder acts as a Faraday cage and shields the enclosed area from any external electrical fields..