E-Field Detector

Item #96-3580

$199.00 Bundle Discount

Unit Price	$199.00
3+	$187.00

Detect electric field strength and charge polarity quantitatively

At last, electric fields are made visible. Arbor Scientific’s E-Field Detector is a sensitive, student-friendly instrument that lets teachers and students directly investigate the effects of positive and negative electrical charge. Using its handheld probe, students can “sniff out” unknown charges, observe charging by induction, and explore how electric fields behave in space—turning invisible forces into observable results.

The detector doesn’t just show that charge is present; it reveals sign and relative magnitude as well. An LED display lights red for positive charge and blue for negative charge, with additional LEDs indicating stronger fields. Designed for both demonstrations and labs, the E-Field Detector makes electrostatics concrete, visual, and engaging.

Why Teachers Love the E-Field Detector

Makes electric fields visible: Students see charge effects immediately, removing the abstraction from electrostatics.
Identifies sign and strength of charge: Color-coded LEDs clearly distinguish positive and negative charge while showing relative magnitude.
Supports inquiry-based learning: Students can locate unknown charges, test predictions, and draw conclusions from what they observe.
Flexible for demo or lab use: Equally effective as a lecture demonstration or a hands-on student investigation.
Expandable to quantitative work: Rear ports allow connection to a voltmeter for deeper analysis.

Resources

E-Field Detector Instructional Guide

What You Can Teach with the E-Field Detector

Ideal for middle school, high school, AP Physics, and introductory college physics:

Electric fields and electric charge
Positive vs. negative charge identification
Charging by induction and polarization
Qualitative field strength comparisons
Coulomb’s Law — including experimental exploration of the inverse-square relationship
Electric potential (extension): Pair with a voltmeter to relate field effects to voltage

The E-Field Detector bridges the gap between theory and observation—helping students see, test, and reason about electric fields with confidence.

How it Works

The E-Field Detector uses a sensitive handheld probe to detect nearby electric fields without contacting the charged object. A color-coded LED display provides immediate visual feedback, revealing both the sign and relative strength of the electric field and enabling students to explore electrostatic phenomena directly.

Red LEDs indicate positive charge; blue LEDs indicate negative charge
Additional LEDs illuminate as field strength increases, allowing qualitative comparisons
Supports investigations of induction, unknown charges, and inverse-square behavior
Rear ports allow connection to a voltmeter for extended, more quantitative studies

Products being sold are not toys. They are for Educational / Laboratory use only. They are not for use by children 12 and under.

Specs:

The E-Field Detector has two sensitivity settings:

Hi Sensitivity Setting:

Range: 0 to +/- 470 pC

Resolution: 0.1 pC

Low Sensitivity Setting:

Range: 0 to +/- 47 nC

Resolution: 10 pC

What's Included:

E-Field Detector

Power Supply