9702 · 18.1
Electric fields and field lines
This lesson covers the fundamental concepts of electric fields, including field strength, Coulomb's Law, and field line patterns. You will learn to calculate forces and field strengths for point charges and in uniform fields, and understand the motion of charged particles within these fields.
Need to know
What you need to know
- Electric field strength is defined as the electrostatic force per unit positive charge acting on a stationary point charge at that point.
- The SI unit for electric field strength is Newtons per Coulomb (N C⁻¹) or Volts per metre (V m⁻¹).
- Electric field is a vector quantity, possessing both magnitude and direction.
- The direction of the field is the direction of the force on a positive charge.
Explanation
Electric fields and field lines
- Electric field strength is defined as the electrostatic force per unit positive charge acting on a stationary point charge at that point.
- The SI unit for electric field strength is Newtons per Coulomb (N C⁻¹) or Volts per metre (V m⁻¹).
- Electric field is a vector quantity, possessing both magnitude and direction.
- The direction of the field is the direction of the force on a positive charge.