Physical Significance of the Electric Field

The electrically charged particles cause a wide array of phenomena that are interrelated with each other. The charges interact with each other either by attracting each other or repelling each other. Such interaction between charges leads to the formation of an electrostatic field if the charges are stationary and the electromagnetic field if the charges are moving from one place to another. We need to study how these changes affect the surrounding. This can be easily done by the concept of the electric field as it characterises the electrical environment of the collection of charges and the changes.

The Electric Field

The electrically charged particles create the electric field. The electrically charged particle could be positive or negative in nature. If the number of protons in the particle exceeds the number of electrons, then the electric charge is positive in nature. If the number of electrons exceeds the number of protons in a particle, then the electric charge is negative in nature. Even though the electric charges have negative values, the electric field could never be negative. Because the field is the force experienced obtained by dividing the charge by its magnitude. Hence, the physical significance of the electric field is a lot. The electric field is measured with the help of the electric field intensity. The electric field intensity is the quantity of how much charge or force is experienced by a unit charge placed in the electric field. This charge could be positive or negative in nature. If the charge causing electric field and the charge placed in the electric field are both positive or both negative, then they will repel each other. If one of them is positive and the other one is negative, then a force of attraction exists between them.

The Unit of Electric Field

The units are attached to numbers so they can convey appropriate meaning. The unit of electric field helps identify the quantity which the number tries to convey and identify that it is the measure of the electric field. Since the field is force divided by the charge, the need for the electric field will be as given below. The S.I unit will be Volts per metre. The C.G.S unit will be Newtons/Coulombs. The N/ C is used more widely than the S.I. unit. The dimensional formula for the electric field unit is MLT^-3I^-1. Even though the electric field unit may look similar to some other unit, the unit of the electric field is not equivalent to the electric field potential unit or the magnetic flux unit. This adds to the physical significance of the electric field.

The energy density of the electric field:

The residency of an electric field means the total amount of energy that can be stored in an electric field per unit volume. The energy density of the electric field is represented by the letter U. The electric field’s energy density can be calculated with the help of the following formula. U(e) = (1/2) × ε₀ × E² Here the U(e) represents the strength of the electric field. E is denoting the electric field, and it is squared. The ε0 stands for permittivity. As the electric and magnetic fields are closely related, the energy density of electric fields and magnetic fields contribute to the energy density of electromagnetic waves. Hence, the physical significance of the electric field cannot be ignored.

The Physical Significance of the Electric Field

The electric field denotes the effect the electric charges have on its surroundings. This property adds to the physical significance of the electric field. The electric field can systematically represent the collection of charges. As the electric field defines the force exerted on charged particles and we know that the force is a vector quantity, the electric field also becomes a vector quantity. The following points underline the physical significance of the electric field: The electric field systematically depicts the surrounding collection of charges under static conditions. When the electric charges start performing motion and flow as an electric current, the direction and magnitude of the electric field help determine the direction and magnitude of the electric current. When we try to understand the time-dependent electromagnetism concept, the physical significance of the electric field is truly understood. The electric field helps us understand the nature and interactions between the electromagnetic charges. The electric fields are not just some mathematical entities, but their physical existence can be felt and experienced. Hence, the electric field leads to many other phenomena which affect how nature works. Such is the concept and the physical significance of the electric field.

Conclusion

The electric field is a significant physical quantity as it helps us determine what effect a collection of electric charges has on their surroundings. Since the electric field depends on the force exerted on the test charge particle and the force is a vector quantity, hence the electric field is also a vector quantity. The effect on the surroundings due to static electric charges as well the non-static charges, which are electromagnetic in nature, can be studied with the help of the electric field. The energy which can be stored by electric field per unit volume is the energy density of the electric field.