Electric Field Lines

Click on the flashcard to see the answer

What are electric field lines?

Imaginary lines representing the direction of the electric field.

What determines the direction of electric field lines?

The direction a positive test charge would move in the field.

How is the strength of the electric field indicated using field lines?

By the density of the field lines.

Do electric field lines ever cross each other?

No, they never cross.

What is the significance of electric field lines starting from positive charges?

It represents the direction of force on a positive test charge.

What do parallel and equally spaced field lines indicate?

A uniform electric field.

Why do electric field lines end on negative charges?

Because negative charges attract positive test charges.

What happens to electric field lines in the presence of conductors?

They can't penetrate conductors under electrostatic conditions.

How do electric field lines behave around an isolated positive charge?

They radiate outward from the charge.

What rule do electric field lines follow in an electric dipole?

They originate from the positive charge and terminate on the negative charge.

Can electric field lines form closed loops?

No, they cannot form closed loops.

How do electric field lines interact with points of higher charge density?

More lines converge at points with higher charge density.

What happens to electric field lines in regions of space without charges?

They extend uniformly if the field is constant, or spread out if diminishing.

How can electric field lines be used to determine the presence of equilibrium in electrostatics?

Lines within a conductor do not exist, indicating equilibrium.

What is the role of electric field lines in understanding electric forces?

They visually represent the force's direction and strength on charges.

Understand Better