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How is the strength of an electric field indicated with electric field lines?
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Given a positive charge the electric field lines are drawn starting from the charge and pointing radially outward, ending in principle at infinity, according to the electric field strength being proportional to the inverse square of distance. From the definition of electric field we know that the modulous of the electric field is greater for smaller distances from the field generating charge. Since the electric field lines point radially outward we consider the density of lines an indication of the strength of the electirc field. If we immagine to trace a circle around the electric field generating charge, of radius slightly greater than the radius of the object which holds the charge and therefore generates the electric field, such circle will be crossed by a number 'n' of lines. The density of lines crossing the cirle will then be the circumference of the circle divided by the number 'n' of lines. For a larger circle we will have a greater circumference, but same number of lines 'n', and therefore a smaller density of lines crossing it, which idicates a lower intesity of electric field for a greater distance from the charge.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
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Where do electric field lines point?
The electric field lines are directed away from a positive charge and towards a negative charge so that at any point , the tangent to a field line gives the direction of electric field at that point.
Does field exist between lines?
Yes, usually. The lines are simply shown to illustrate direction and strength of the field.
What are equipotential lines?
A uniform electric field exists between parallel plates of equal but opposite charges.
Why do two magnetic lines never intersect each other?
It is important to realize that magnetic lines do not really exist! They are a tool to visualize the magnetic field, but the field is continuous and does not exist solely inside lines. The direction of the lines gives the direction of the magnetic field, the density of lines, its strength. This also explains why no two field lines can ever intersect; a field line carries information about the direction of the magnetic field, if they would intersect an ambiguity would arise about the direction (not to mention a field of apparent infinite strength since the density would be infinite at the point of crossing). The field lines are almost never used in explicit calculations; instead one uses a vector, an entity which contains information about the magnitude and direction of a field in every point in space and time. Adding two magnetic fields is then easy; just add the vectors of both fields in every point in space (and time). You can use the resulting vector field to draw field lines again if you want. An easy way to imagine what would happen to field lines when they might intersect is to look at them as being such vectors. Imagine you have one field line pointing to the right, and another one pointing up. The result of adding would be a field line pointing somewhere in the up-right direction (the exact direction depending on the relative magnitudes of the fields). If the fields are equal in magnitude but opposite in direction they would cancel; the field line disappears. But this is to be expected! The magnetic fields canceled each other in that point! One has to take care with this analogy however; as for field lines the measure of magnitude is their density; which is an undefined thing if you are considering just one field line per field. For a vector however, the measure of magnitude is its length. Therefore adding two field lines of the same magnitude and pointing in the same direction would result in a vector of twice the length, but in field line language you would have to double the density at that point. This is one of the reasons field lines are used for visualization but not calculation. By the way, all these things apply to other fields as well. Electric fields can also be represented by field lines, and they as well cannot intersect (for the same reasons). Electric field lines, however, are not necessarily closed loops like magnetic field lines (this has to do with the non-existence of magnetic monopoles).
Where do magnetic field lines cross?
Magnetic field lines don't cross.
How closely packed the electric field lines are indicates the strength of the electric field?
true
What is electric lines of force?
electric lines of force are imaginary lines defined by the paths traced by unit charges placed in an electric field. Lines of force are everywhere parallel to the electric field strength vector. Their principal use is as a convenient means of picturing the geometry of an electric field.
What is meant by electric field intencity?
An electric field can be represented diagrammatically as a set of lines with arrows on, called electric field-lines, which fill space. Electric field-lines are drawn according to the following rules: The direction of the electric field is everywhere tangent to the field-lines, in the sense of the arrows on the lines. The magnitude of the field is proportional to the number of field-lines per unit area passing through a small surface normal to the lines. Thus, field-lines determine the magnitude, as well as the direction, of the electric field. In particular, the field is strong at points where the field-lines are closely spaced, and weak at points where they are far apart. Electric Field intensity It was stated that the electric field concept arose in an effort to explain action-at-a-distance forces. All charged objects create an electric field which extends outward into the space which surrounds it. The charge alters that space, causing any other charged object that enters the space to be affected by this field. The strength of the electric field is dependent upon how charged the object creating the field is and upon the distance of separation from the charged object. In this section of Lesson 4, we will investigate electric field from a numerical viewpoint - the electric field strength. An electric field can be represented diagrammatically as a set of lines with arrows on, called electric field-lines, which fill space. Electric field-lines are drawn according to the following rules: The direction of the electric field is everywhere tangent to the field-lines, in the sense of the arrows on the lines. The magnitude of the field is proportional to the number of field-lines per unit area passing through a small surface normal to the lines. Thus, field-lines determine the magnitude, as well as the direction, of the electric field. In particular, the field is strong at points where the field-lines are closely spaced, and weak at points where they are far apart. Electric Field intensity It was stated that the electric field concept arose in an effort to explain action-at-a-distance forces. All charged objects create an electric field which extends outward into the space which surrounds it. The charge alters that space, causing any other charged object that enters the space to be affected by this field. The strength of the electric field is dependent upon how charged the object creating the field is and upon the distance of separation from the charged object. In this section of Lesson 4, we will investigate electric field from a numerical viewpoint - the electric field strength.
Does electric field and electric field lines connected?
Yes. An electric field is represented by electric field lines. Electric field lines are a visual representation of the strength and direction of an electric field in a region of space. In the vicinity of any charge, there is an electric field and the strength of the electric field is proportional to the force that a test charge would experience if placed at the point. (That is a matter of definition of electric field.) Mother nature produces electric fields, but humans can not see electric fields. Humans invented the idea of field lines to create a mental picture of the field. The two most common ways are to draw lines in space or to draw a collection of arrows in space. In the case of arrows, they are vector representations of the strength and direction of the electric field at the point in space where each arrow is drawn. Representing an electric field (and this works with other fields also) with lines is a sophisticated and time honored tradition. The density of lines in any region of space is proportional to the strength (magnitude) of the field in that region of space. The direction of the field is along the direction of the line at each position on each of the lines. In such a graphical representation the field direction goes out from positive charge and in towards negative charge and the visualization usually has some indication of the sign of charge or direction of the field to give the information about direction of the vector field represented by the field lines. There is a small caveat. It is not only charge that can produce electric fields. An electric field can be produced by a changing magnetic field. This is technologically important (since electric motors work on this principle) and scientifically fascinating, requiring a somewhat more sophisticated aspect of electromagnetic theory, but ultimately the electric field or electric flux can be visualized with lines (or arrows) in a manner exactly as is done for stationary charges.
What do lines represent in an electirc field diagram?
The lines in each diagram represent an electric field. The stronger the field, the close together the lines are.
Electric field lines show the strength and what of an electric field?
Direction and electric flux density. Representing an electric field (and this works with other fields also) with lines is a sophisticated and time honored tradition. The density of lines in any region of space is proportional to the strength (magnitude) of the field in that region of space. The direction of the field is along the direction of the line at each position on each of the lines. In such a graphical representation the field direction goes out from positive charge and in towards negative charge and the visualization usually has some indication of the sign of charge or direction of the field to give the information about direction of the vector field represented by the field lines.
What happens to electric potential when the electric field is increased?
the electrical potential is also increased;electricity does not travel through wire but around the outside,which is why transmission lines are bare
What do lines represent in an electric field diagram?
The lines in each diagram represent an electric field. The stronger the field, the close together the lines are.
Why electric field lines cannot have sudden brakes in between them?
electric field lines represents electric field at that point but if it has break somewhere then it signifies the absence of electric field and it is not possible.....
What are three facts about electric field lines?
1. Electric field lines of force originate from the positive charge and terminate at the negative charge. 2. Electric field lines of force can never intersect each other. 3. Electric field lines of force are not present inside the conductor, it is because electric field inside the conductor is always zero. 4. Electric field lines of force are always perpendicular to the surface of conductor. 5. Curved electric field lines are always non-uniform in nature.
If you place a charge into an electric field it will move in the direction indicated by the electric field lines?
it will occure if the charge is positive, other wise it will move to opposite direction.
Are electric field lines real?
No, they only help us understand electric fields.
