Chapter 21, Problem 51A

To determine

To discuss: Electric field lines

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

Electric field:

It is a three dimensional area around an electrically charged object. When other charge is brought in proximity of that area, the charge experience a force called electric force.

So, it is also defined as force per unit of charge. It’s SI unit is N/C.

Electric field lines:

For a test charge with positive magnitude, the direction of electric force gives the direction of electric field. By convention, the lines of electric field originate from the positive charge and terminates in the negative charge.

So, the electric field lines are actually the line of force. They are imaginary lines. To determine the direction of net field at any point, a tangent is drawn at that point.

The electric field lines between a positive and negative charge are shown below.

Figure 1