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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 do the electric field lines appear when the field has the same strength at all points in reign?
In a uniform electric field with the same strength at all points, the electric field lines are straight, parallel, and evenly spaced. This indicates that the electric field strength is constant.
How closely packed the electric field lines are indicates the strength of the electric field?
true
How is the direction of an electric field indicate with electrical fields lines?
The direction of an electric field is indicated by the direction in which the electric field lines point. Electric field lines point away from positive charges and towards negative charges. The closer the field lines are together, the stronger the electric field in that region.
What happens to the strength of an electrical field as you get closer to it?
The strength of an electric field increases as you get closer to it. This is because the electric field lines are more concentrated closer to the source of the field. The strength of an electric field is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.
What is the significance of the number of lines per unit area or density of the electric field lines?
The density of electric field lines represents the strength of the electric field in a given region. A higher density of electric field lines indicates a stronger electric field, whereas a lower density indicates a weaker field. This provides a visual representation of how the electric field intensity varies in space.
Why electric line of force can not have sudden break?
Electric field lines represent the continuous flow of electric field from one point to another. If there were a sudden break in the electric field line, it would imply a sudden discontinuity in the electric field strength, which is not physically possible. This is because electric field lines are a visual representation of the direction and strength of the electric field, which must be continuous to maintain the conservation of electric field flux.
If you place a charge into an electric fieldit will move in the direction indicated by the electric field lines?
Yes, a charge placed in an electric field will experience a force in the direction of the field lines due to the interaction between the charge and the field. The charge will move along the field lines if it is free to do so.
What are three facts about electric field lines?
Electric field lines are used to visualize the direction and strength of an electric field. They always point away from positively charged objects and towards negatively charged objects. The density of field lines indicates the strength of the electric field, with closer lines representing a stronger field and vice versa.
Why electric field lines cannot have sudden brakes in between them?
Electric field lines represent the direction of the electric field at any point in space. If there were sudden breaks in the field lines, it would imply sudden changes in the electric field strength, which is not physically possible. The electric field must vary continuously and smoothly in space.
If you place a charge into an electric field it will move in the direction indicated by the electric field lines?
Yes, a charge placed in an electric field will experience a force and move in the direction of the electric field lines if it is positive, or opposite to the direction if the charge is negative. The force on the charge is proportional to the charge itself and the strength of the electric field at that location.
How are magnetic field lines like electric field lines?
Magnetic field lines are similar to electric field lines in that they both represent the direction and strength of the field at various points in space. Both types of field lines are used to visualize the field's behavior and provide insights into the field's properties. However, magnetic field lines form closed loops, while electric field lines start and end on charges.
When area is held perpendicular to the field lines then the magnitude of electric flux is?
When the area is perpendicular to the field lines, the magnitude of electric flux is given by the product of the electric field strength, the area of the surface, and the cosine of the angle between the field lines and the normal to the surface. This is known as Gauss's Law for electric fields.
