PhET Simulation: Capacitance Online Lab

Students love working with online simulations from PhET Interactive Simulations. They are easy to use, interactive, give reliable results and allow students to easily see the relationships between various physical parameters.

In this inquiry-based PhET online lab students will first investigate the relationship between the plate area, the plate separation and the amount of charge stored on the plates of a parallel plate capacitor. Students will then collect data for the amount of charge stored on the plates of the capacitor with respect to the voltage applied across the capacitor. This data will then be graphed and the slope of the line will be calculated to determine the capacitance of the capacitor.

Through the summary questions your students will become familiar with the vocabulary used to describe capacitance and capacitors as well as the equation used to calculate capacitance.

PhET simulations incorporate research based, student centered activities that are fun and educational. All of the PhET simulations are available from their website:hET Interactive Simulations. This PhET online simulation can be done in the classroom or during distance learning.

This product includes:
(1) The lab activity worksheets.
(2) An answer key for the worksheets.
(3) Notes covering a full description of capacitance and capacitors.