Basic Electrostatics System
ES-9080A
14
®
Before beginning any experiment using the ice pail, the pail must be momentarily grounded.
When the ice pail is connected to the electrometer, and the electrometer is connected to an
earth-ground, simply press the ZERO button whenever you need to discharge both the pail
and the electrometer. While conducting an experiment, it is convenient to keep yourself
grounded, by continuously resting one hand on the upper edge of the shield, or by direct
contact with the earth-ground connector.
WARNING
: Make sure the electrometer is connected to an earth ground, or the pail
will not be properly grounded. Performing tests or experiments with an ungrounded pail
could cause possible electrical shock or injury.
Procedure 1A: Charging by Induction vs. Charging by Contact
1.
Connect the electrometer to the Faraday Ice Pail as shown in Figure 1.1. Make sure to
ground the electrometer and the ice pail. The electrometer should read zero when grounded,
indicating there is no charge in the ice pail. Press the ZERO
button to completely remove all
charge from the electrometer and the ice pail.
2.
Always start with the voltage range in the higher setting (100 V) and adjust down if
needed. Analog meters are typically most accurate in the range of 1/3 to 2/3 of full scale.
3.
The charge producers will be used as charged objects. Here is a general procedure to
follow when charging the producers:
•
Always remove any stray charge on the necks and handles of the charge producers by
touching the necks and handles to the grounded shield. You must also be grounded
while doing this. It also helps if you breathe on the neck of the charge producer, so that
the moisture in your breath removes any residual charge on the neck.
• Rub the white and blue surfaces together to separate charges.
• Keep in your hand only the producer you are going to use. Put the other charge
producer away, far from contact with any of the ice pail surfaces.
Touch both the pail and the
shield at the same time
Lift finger from pail, then from shield
pail
shield
Shield
Pail
Figure 1.2: Grounding the ice pail