Explore the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage
Place positive and negative charges, drag them, and see electric field arrows and voltage colours with a live sensor. Works on phones and computers.
- Free to use
- No signup
- Nothing to install
- Runs in your browser
Illustration. Open the tool for the real thing.
See it in action
The Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage with sample data entered and the result showing.
What is the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage?
Place positive and negative charges, drag them, and see electric field arrows and voltage colours with a live sensor. It runs in your browser, so a change to a setting or a drag on an object shows up at once.
Electric fields are used in inkjet printers, particle accelerators, capacitors and sensors.
3 steps to your result
Open the tool and follow along. Nothing to install.
What you get
Field arrows point away from positive and toward negative charges.
Field is strongest close to the charges.
Voltage is high near positive charges and low near negative.
Make a dipole with one + and one −.
Add several charges in a line.
Show voltage colours.
Used for
Pick one to see how it fits.
Physics learners
Physics students in middle school, high school and first-year university, teachers who want a quick demonstration for the projector, and anyone revising for exams.
Try it freeTeachers
For teachers: project the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage on the board, let students predict the result, then run it together and test this: Add several charges in a line. For students: change one thing at a time and write down what changes.
Try it freeHow it compares
A plain look at this tool next to the usual alternative.
| This simulation | Textbook diagram | |
|---|---|---|
| Interactive | Drag, tap and change settings | Fixed picture |
| Install | Nothing to install | Not needed |
| Cost | Free to use | Depends on the book |
Questions people ask
What is an electric field?
The force per unit charge that a small positive test charge would feel at each point.
How are field and voltage related?
The field points in the direction the voltage drops fastest.
Is the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage free to use?
Yes. The Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage is free, needs no signup or download and runs in your web browser. It is part of the Physics group of AZRS simulations.
Does the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage work on a phone or tablet?
Yes. The Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage takes touch input as well as mouse input, so you can drag its objects with a finger. A larger screen makes the controls and graphs easier to read.
How do I use the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage?
1. In the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage, pick an option such as Field arrows, Voltage colours, Both to switch modes or load an example. 2. In the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage, press "+ Positive charge", "− Negative charge", "Clear all" to start, reset or change what is happening. 3. Start with this experiment: Make a dipole with one + and one −. Drag any glowing handle, object or slider with your mouse or finger and the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage responds in real time. 4. Change one setting at a time and watch which readout moves, then compare it with this idea: Field arrows point away from positive and toward negative charges.
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Try the Charges and Fields: Electric Field & Voltage now
Place positive and negative charges, drag them, and see electric field arrows and voltage. Free to use.
Try it free