Part II - Electric Field

THE ELECTRIC FIELD
 Two field forces have been introduced into our

discussions so far-the gravitational force and the
electric force.
 As pointed out earlier, field forces can act through

space, producing an effect even when no physical
contact occurs between interacting objects.
 The gravitational field at a point in space was defined

to be equal to the gravitational force acting on a test
particle of mass m divided by that mass: .
1
 The concept of a field was developed by Michael Faraday (1791–1867).
In this approach, if an electric charge exist in space an electric field
occur around it. When another charged object—the test charge (q0)—
enters this electric field, an electric force acts on it.
 The electric field vector at a point in space is defined as the electric

force acting on a positive test charge placed at that point divided by
the test charge:
Note that is the field produced by some charge or charge distribution

separate from the test charge—it is not the field produced by the test
charge itself.
2
Equation can be rearranged as
where we have used the general symbol for a charge. This equation gives us the force
on a charged particle placed in an electric field. If q is positive, the force is in the same
direction as the field. If q is negative, the force and the field are in opposite directions.
The vector has the SI units of newtons per coulomb (N/C). The direction of ,
as shown in figure, is the direction of the force a positive test charge experiences
when placed in the field. We say that an electric field exists at a point if a test
charge at that point experiences an electric force. Once the magnitude and direction of the
electric field are known at some point, the electric force exerted on any
charged particle placed at that point can be calculated from Equation (**).
3
 To determine the direction of an electric field, consider a point charge as a source charge. This
charge creates an electric field at all points in space surrounding it. According to Coulomb’s law,
the force exerted by on the test charge () is
is a unit vector directed from toward . This force in Figure a is directed away from the source
charge . P is the position of the test charge. The electric field at P is defined by .
So the electric field created by is
at P.
 If more than one charge is presented, the electric field at point P can be expressed as the
vector sum
is the distance from the ith source charge to the point P and is a unit vector directed from
toward P.
4
The electric force The electric field The electric force The electric field of
of the positive of the positive of the negative the negative
source charge at P, source charge at source charge at P, source charge at P,
directed away from P, directed away directed toward directed toward
the . from . the . the .
P is the position of the test charge .
5
ELECTRIC FIELD LINES
We have defined the electric field mathematically. How can we visualize
electric field? The way to visualize the electric field is to draw lines,
called electric field lines.
The electric field vector is tangent to the electric field line at each
point.
The number of lines per unit area through a surface perpendicular to
the lines (seen in the figure), is proportional to the magnitude of the
electric field in that region.
The rules for drawing electric field lines are as follows:
 The lines must begin on a positive charge and terminate on a negative

charge. Figure Electric field lines
 The number of lines drawn leaving a positive charge or approaching a penetrating two surfaces.
negative charge is proportional to the magnitude of the charge.
 No two field lines can cross.
6
Figure
The electric field
Figure The lines in the vicinity
Figure The electric field lines for a These lines terminates
electric field lines of two equal
point charge. Notice that the figures on a negative charge
for two point positive point
show only those field lines that lie in at infinity.
charges of equal charges. The lines
the plane of the page. Actually, field
magnitude and are nearly radial at Figure The number
lines of a point charge penetrate a
opposite sign (an points close to of lines leaving +2q
sphere surface.
electric dipole). either charge and is twice the
the same number number
of lines emerges terminating at –q.
from each charge.
7

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THE ELECTRIC FIELD

 Two field forces have been introduced into our

 As pointed out earlier, field forces can act through

 The gravitational field at a point in space was defined

 The electric field vector at a point in space is defined as the electric

Note that is the field produced by some charge or charge distribution

So the electric field created by is

P is the position of the test charge .

The rules for drawing electric field lines are as follows:

 The lines must begin on a positive charge and terminate on a negative

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