We explore the similarities and differences between the electric dipole studied in introductory
physics and the purportedly equivalent elementary experiment in which the electric potential is
measured on a conductive sheet as a current flows. The former is a three-dimensional electrostatic
dipole while the latter is a two-dimensional steady-state dipole. In spite of these differences, and
as shown in this work, the potentials due to these dipoles look very similar. This may be misleading
to either students or unaware instructors.