Abstract: A system for determining an effect of a non-uniform electric field on a dielectric particle includes a pair of electrodes for generating the non-uniform electric field, a function generator in communication with a computer and the electrodes for changing the frequency of the electric field, and a camera in communication with a microscope and the computer for capturing a series of images of the dielectric particle in the non-uniform electric field. The computer is programmed to detect changes between the images in the series of images to determine the effect of the non-uniform electric field on the dielectric particle.