Electric Field

An electric field is an electric property that is associated with every location in space where a charge exists in any form. It’s the region that encompasses an electrically charged particle and produces a force on all other electrically charged particles in the area. Its sign is ‘E,’ and its measuring unit is ‘V/m’ (volt per metre).

What is Electric Field?

The electric field is a vector field that can be associated with any place in space and indicates the effort per unit charge produced on a positive test charge that is at rest at that location. 

The electric field is created by the electric charge or by magnetic fields that change over time. The electric field is responsible for the attraction forces that hold the atomic nucleus and electrons together at the atomic scale.

The electric field formula is as follows:

E = F /Q

Where,

E is the electric field.

F is a force.

Q is the charge.

Variable magnetic fields or electric charges are the most common causes of electric fields. The volt per metre (V/m) is the SI unit for measuring electric field strength.

The field’s direction is determined by the direction of the force acting on the positive charge. A positive charge produces a radially outward electric field, while a negative charge produces a radially inward electric field.

Significance of Electric Field

What is the physical significance of the Electric Field?

What is the use of an Electric Field if the force is between multiple charges- superposition principle? The concept of electric field facilitates the quantification process in electrostatics, but it is not required; therefore, why add the concept of electric field?

For describing the relevance of the electric field, the following reasons can be established:

• It allows you to characterise the electrical environment of the charging system.
• It describes the force that a unit positive test charge exerts at a specific location.
• A vector field is a quantity that is specified at every point in space and is variable, i.e., it varies from point to point.
• It displays the Electric Force’s amplitude and direction.

• When time-varying electromagnetic phenomena, such as force between multiple charges electric fields due to the system of charges separated by a distance in an accelerated motion, the idea of Electric Field becomes very significant and useful.

How to Find an Electric Field Using Gauss law?

Here, we’ll state gauss law in electrostatics. These include a few steps.

• First, we must determine the charge distribution’s spatial symmetry (spherical, cylindrical, or planar).
• After that, we must identify a gaussian symmetry that is identical to the symmetry of spatial organisation.
• Determine the integral along the gaussian surface, then calculate the flow.
• Locate the charge encircled by a Gaussian surface.
• Determine the charge distribution’s electric field. A point charge produces an electric field.

The electric field is a vector field that is connected with the Coulomb force that a test charge experiences at each point in space relative to the source charge. The Coulomb force F on the test charge q can be used to calculate the magnitude and direction of the electric field. The electric field formed by a positive charge will be radially outwards, while the electric field created by a negative charge will be radially inwards.

There is a popular question on the internet- Biot savart law in a magnetic field is analogous to which law in an electric field? 

The magnetic force FB = ù0/4π* Idlsinθ /r2, as stated by the Biot Savart law, is comparable to the electric field F =k q1q2/r², as stated by Coulomb’s law.

Electric Field due to Dipole

The electric field strength due to a dipole, far away, is always proportional to the dipole moment and inversely proportional to the cube of the distance. Dipole moment is the product of the charge and distance between the two charges.

If you want to know what is the electric field at a point on the axis of an electric dipole, then you must know; 

When a dipole is far away, the electric field strength is always proportional to the dipole moment and inversely proportional to the distance cube.

Electric Field Due to Line Charge

The electric field owing to a charged particle is one application of the state of the gauss law in electrostatics. Gauss law can be used to calculate the electric field owing to the line charge.

To get the electric intensity at point P at an upright distance r from the rod, consider a right circular closed cylinder with radius r and length l with an infinitely long line of charge as its axis.

The magnitude of the electric field strength at each point on the curved surface of the Gaussian surface (cylinder) is the same since all points are at the same distance from the line charge.

As a result, the curved surface of the cylinder’s contribution to electric flux,

∅sE.ds =sE.ñ ds = Esds=E(2πrl)

Electric Field due to Ring

By superposing the point charge fields of tiny charge elements, the electric field of a ring of charge on the axis of the ring can be calculated. The ring field can also be utilised as an element in calculating the electric field of a charged disc.

Electric field due to Continuous Charge Distribution

The charges must be dispersed continuously over a length, a surface, or a volume in this case.

It is impossible to determine the electric field owing to each charged constituent when dealing with a surface that carries charges constantly over the surface.

Conclusion 

In this article we explain the electric field which is due to electric charge. Electric field is equal to force per unit charge and its SI unit is N/C. Here also explain the gauss law and its application. Hopefully, you have understood the core concepts of the electric field, its formula, its significance, gauss law in electrostatics, and more!