St. Mary's HS Physics - Electric Fields Notes

G) Electric Field - region in space where electric forces act on charges

"Did you know that

sharks can 'see'

electric fields?"

Electroreception (right click, save as)

Dr. Stephen M. Kajiura, Elasmobranch Research Lab, Boca Raton, FL

1) vector quantity

2) E = F/q (on reference)

E = Electric Field Strength (N/C)
q = amount of charge
F = force on charge

3) The direction of an electric field is drawn to show how the field acts on positive charge (Decided by convention)

Positive Spherical Charges Repel Positives Outward in all Directions

Negative Spherical Charges Drawn Positives In Toward the Center of the Charge

Electric Field Patterns

Spherical Charges

Radial Fields

Field at the center of a charge = zero

c) 2 opposite charges

3 Dimensional View

d) 2 like charges

e) Field between a positive and neutral charge

f) Field Lines between opposite charged parallel plates

** Field between plates is uniform

- (same strength all over)

Charges and Fields Part II
Physics 2000