Sensing AC electric fields

PARTS AND MATERIALS

• Audio detector with headphones

CROSS-REFERENCES

Lessons In Electric Circuits, Volume 2, chapter 7: "Mixed-Frequency AC Signals"

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Effects of electrostatic (capacitive) coupling.
• Electrostatic shielding techniques.

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

ILLUSTRATION

INSTRUCTIONS

"Ground" one lead of the detector to a metal object in contact with the earth (dirt). Most any water pipe or faucet in a house will suffice. Take the other lead and hold it close to an electrical appliance or lamp fixture. Do not try to make contact with the appliance or with any conductors within! Any AC electric fields produced by the appliance will be heard in the headphones as a buzzing tone.

Try holding the wire in different positions next to a good, strong source of electric fields. Try using a piece of aluminum foil clipped to the wire's end to maximize capacitance (and therefore its ability to intercept an electric field). Try using different types of material to "shield" the wire from an electric field source. What material(s) work best? How does this compare with the AC magnetic field experiment?

As with magnetic fields, there is controversy whether or not stray electric fields like these pose any health hazard to the human body.