ERIC Number: EJ1165560
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Mar
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0031-9120
EISSN: N/A
A Fieldmill for Measuring Atmospheric Electricity
Thompson, Frank
Physics Education, v53 n2 Article 025004 Mar 2018
It is a well known fact that the Earth carries a net negative charge that produces a downward electrostatic field. The present experiment shows how this field can be measured with a Field Mill which has been constructed from components readily available in the Laboratory. In fine weather conditions a value of 120 (±10) V m[superscript -1] was obtained which agrees with data in the literature. However, when a thunder storm was approaching preliminary measurements showed that the field varied between +400 V m[superscript -1] and -1000 V m[superscript -1] thus indicating complex charge states of the approaching clouds. Suggestions are made for improving the sensitivity of the apparatus so that experiments can be carried out for other weather conditions.
Descriptors: Science Instruction, Science Experiments, Laboratory Experiments, Weather, Energy, Physics, Laboratory Equipment
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A