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What is an electric field?
A vector field that describes the force a charged particle would experience at any point in space.
Define electric field strength.
It measures the electric force experienced by a charged particle at a specific point in space, indicating the field's strength at that location.
What are electric field lines?
Lines used to visualize electric fields, showing the direction a positive test charge would move if placed in the field. The density of lines indicates field strength.
What is a uniform electric field?
An electric field where the strength and direction are the same at every point in space.
What is a test charge?
A small positive charge used to determine the direction of an electric field.
What happens when a positive charge is placed in an electric field?
It experiences a force in the direction of the electric field.
What happens when a negative charge is placed in an electric field?
It experiences a force opposite to the direction of the electric field.
What is the effect of increasing the distance from a charge on the electric field strength?
The electric field strength decreases (inversely proportional to the square of the distance).
What effect does increasing the magnitude of a source charge have on the electric field it creates?
It increases the electric field strength proportionally.
What happens when electric field lines are close together?
The electric field strength is stronger.
What happens when a charged particle is placed between two parallel plates with a potential difference?
The charged particle experiences a constant electric force and accelerates towards the plate with opposite charge.
What are the differences between electric fields and gravitational fields?
Electric fields can be attractive or repulsive, while gravitational fields are always attractive. Electric fields are created by charges, gravitational fields by mass.
Compare electric field strength calculated using force on a test charge versus using the source charge.
Using force on a test charge: E = F/q, relates field to force on a known charge. Using source charge: E = kQ/r^2, relates field to the charge creating it and distance.