3. Electric Field and Electric Field Lines

Electric field and Electric Field Lines
Learning outcomes:
 Define electric field and electric field intensity
 Draw diagrammatic representation of electric field lines
 State the properties of electric field lines

Source Charge:
The charge on a body whose electrostatic effect at a certain point is to be
studied is called a source charge.
The point at which the source charge is placed is called source point.
Test Charge:
The charge placed to test or measure the electric field of source charge is
called test charge.
 The test charge is very small so that electric field produced by it has
negligible effect.
It is a unit positive charge having magnitude of 𝟏 𝑪.

It is denoted by .
The magnitude of test charge is very small compared to the magnitude of

source charge.
Electric Field:
It is the environment created by an electric charge (source charge) in the space
around it, such that if any other electric charge (test charge) is present in this
space, it will come to know of its presence and exert a force on it.
The direction of electric field

is same as that of the direction
of the force.
The space surrounding an electric charge ‘𝒒 ’ in which another charge ‘’

experiences electrostatic force of attraction or repulsion is called the
electric field of the charge ‘𝑞’.
Physical significance of an Electric Field:
Electric field is a physical quantity that has a

value at every location in space.
It is a vector field at every location in space

surrounding a charge.
i.e., Electric field has a magnitude and direction.
Intensity or Strength of Electric field or electric field intensity ( 𝑬)
The intensity of electric field at a point is the ratio of the force acting on the
test charge placed at that point to the magnitude of the test charge.
OR
The electric field intensity at any point is defined as the force experienced
by a unit positive charge at that point.
If ′𝑭′ be the force acting on a test charge placed at a point in an electric

field, then the intensity ′𝑬′ of the field at that point is given by:
In Vector form:
𝑭
𝑬=
𝒒𝒐
 The direction of electric field intensity E is same as that of the direction
of the force F. SI unit of electric field intensity is .
Electric Field due to a Point Charge
Let us consider an isolated point charge, +𝒒 is placed
distance 𝒓 apart from 𝑶 and experiences a force 𝑭

at O and a test charge be brought to a point P at
which is given by;
From the definition of electric field Substituting the value of 𝐹 from

intensity, we have; equation (𝑖) to the equation (𝑖𝑖), we get;
𝑭 𝟏 𝒒𝒒 𝟎
𝑬= −−− −( 𝒊𝒊) 𝑬=
𝒒𝟎 𝟒 𝝅 𝜺𝟎 𝒓 𝟐 ×𝒒 𝟎
𝟏 𝒒
∴ 𝑬= −− −−[ 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 ]
𝟒 𝝅 𝜺𝟎 𝒓 𝟐
Points to remember:
i. For positive point charge, electric field intensity is directed away from it.
ii. For negative point charge, electric field intensity is directed towards it.
Relation between electric force and electric
In an electric field , a charge 𝑞 experiences a

field
force 𝐹 = 𝑞𝐸.
If the charge is positive, then the force is
directed in the direction of field while if charge
is negative, then the force is directed in
opposite direction of field.
Electric Lines of Force/Electric field lines
An electric line of force is an imaginary straight or curved path
along which a unit positive charge is supposed to move when
free to do so in an electric field.
OR
An electric line of force is an imaginary smooth curve drawn in an
electric field along which a free, isolated positive charge moves.
The tangent drawn at any point on the electric lines of force gives the
direction of the force acting on a positive charge placed at that point.
Electric lines of force are imaginary but electric fields that they represent are
real.
Electric lines of force due to Isolated Electric lines of force due to an Isolated
positive Charge: negative charge:
Electric lines of force are directed Electric lines of force are directed
radially outward. radially inward.
Properties of Electric lines of force:
1.The lines of force originate on positive charge and
terminate on negative. Therefore, they are continuous.
2.Electric field lines do not form a closed loop because they
are conservative (i.e., line can never start and end on the same
charge).
3.A tangent drawn at any point on the line of force gives the
direction of the electric field at that point.
4.Two lines of force cannot intersect or else it would mean
two directions of electric field at a point which is
impossible.
5. Lines of force do not pass through conductors and hence the
electric field inside a conductor is zero.
6. Relative closeness of electric lines of force is directly proportional
to the strength of electric field.
7. Lines of force have a tendency to contract longitudinally between
two opposite charges and hence they attract each other.
8. Lines of force expand laterally between similar charges and hence
they repel each other.
9. Lines of force are continuous and are imaginary but represents
real field.
10. In a uniform electric field, the field lines are straight, parallel and
uniformly spaced.
Conceptual questions on Electric field and electric field lines
1.What is the physical significance of an electric field?

2.Write down the mathematical expressions for electric field and
electric field due to a point charge.
3. Two electric lines of force cannot intersect at a point. Why?

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Electric field and Electric Field Lines

 Draw diagrammatic representation of electric field lines

 State the properties of electric field lines

It is a unit positive charge having magnitude of 𝟏 𝑪.

The magnitude of test charge is very small compared to the magnitude of

The direction of electric field

The space surrounding an electric charge ‘𝒒 ’ in which another charge ‘’

Electric field is a physical quantity that has a

It is a vector field at every location in space

If ′𝑭′ be the force acting on a test charge placed at a point in an electric

distance 𝒓 apart from 𝑶 and experiences a force 𝑭

which is given by;

From the definition of electric field Substituting the value of 𝐹 from

Relation between electric force and electric

In an electric field , a charge 𝑞 experiences a

1.What is the physical significance of an electric field?

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