The Electric Field = Lightning is a spectacular visual result ofthe electric forces generated by the charge distribution ina thundercloud, Electric forces accelerate electrons to high speeds; the electrons ionize atoms, resulting in an avalanche of moving charge, a lightning bolt In this chapter, we introduce the eri eld, which is the electric force per unit charge With this and other eoncepts di tigate questions such as din thie chapter, we can inves 2. What is the approximate distribution of charge in « thundercloud, and what electric field does it produce some distance from the clotid? (Example 2, page 725) 2. How does the charge distribution in a thundercloud affect the arrange- nud? What i ‘the resulting electric feld at ground level? (Example 3, page 727) rent of charges on the (conducting) ground below them action ata-distance field eciiomby-contact When g moves coset, lect oe wl erent ‘Changes cet force canna ropogie faster than peed of ight FIGURE 23.1 A disturbance emanater fom the charge g' and reaches the charge g ‘electric field (CHAPTER 23 The Elec Field 2 Whats th electic force on an electron at ground level? What isthe resulting acceleration ofthe electron? (Exannple 4, page 728) Jp to here we have taken the view thatthe gravitational forces and the electric forces between particles are action-at-a-distance, tha is, particle exerts a direct grav- itational or electric force on another particle even when the particles are widely sepa rated, Such an interpretation of gravitational and clectric forces as a ghostly tug-of-war between distant bodies is suggested by Newton's Law of Gravitation and Coulomb's Law. However, according to the modern view, there is a physical entity that acts as ‘mediator of force, conveying the force over the distance from one body to another. ‘This entity is the field. A gravitating or electrically charged body generates a gravita- tional or electric field which permeates the (apparent) empty space around the body, and ths field exerts pushes or pulls whenever it comes in contact with another body. “Thus, fields convey forces from one body to another through local action, or action by-contact In the present chapter, we will become acquainted with the electric eld that con- veys the electric force from one body to another body. We will frst examine the elec ‘tic field de to a point charge. Then, using a superposition of electric fields similar to the superposition of electric forces, we will consider the electric field generated by several point charges, and by continuous distributions of charges. We will aso intro duce the useful concept of lines of electre field. Finally, we will consider what motion ‘occurs when the electric field acts on a charge 23.1 THE ELECTRIC FIELD Oren OF POINT CHARGES Ceheeer According to the naive interpretation of Coulomb’ Law, the electse forces between charges are action-at-a-distance, that i, a charge g' exerts a direct force on a charge g ‘even though these charges are separated by a large distance and are not touching. However, such an action-at-2-dstance interpretation of electric forces leads to serious electric field of charge g’ = force on charge g "To translate this conceptual scheme into mathematical language, we start with Coulomb's Law for the force exerted by the charge g' on the charge g, an ane, 7 anu we separate this expression into a product of two facto: factor g characterise of the point charge on which the fore is being exerted, and factor g'/#? character iti of the point charge that exerts the force atthe distance r. We also include the constant of proportionality 1/4 in the second facto, othe expression for the force ‘becomes rox (8) ca “The second factor is defined to be the electric field generated by the point charge g's ‘we designate this electric field by E: E (23.2) af te ‘This says cha the magnitude ofthe elect field ofthe point charge gis directly pro portional to the magnitude of this charge and inversely proportional to the square of the distance. The force that this electric field exerts on the charge gis then simply Pag (33) Like the force, the electric field isa veetor and it can be represented by an arrow (see Fig. 23.2). The direction ofthe electric field depends on the sign ofthe charge q'. The clectric field is directed radialy outward if is positive, and radially inward if! is nega- tive. Tn vector language, the force on the charge g becomes Fag (34) ‘With this special case of the electric field ofa point charge as guidance, we ean proceed to the definition of the elect ield for the general case of an arbitrary charge istribution, such a the charge distribution ina thundercloud, or the charge distribution, fon an electric powerline. To find the electric field thatthe charge distribution generates m3 Field diction sadly cout fo positive Eiki eld Edius to point chngedecesee ‘wh inverse square of Siaance FIGURE 23.2 A charge g' generates an lect field at some distance e-The Airection ofthis electri Bld is along the radia ine clectrc Feld of point chargena ‘electri Field and electric force newton per coulomb (N/C) (CHAPTER 23 The Elec Field SOME ELECTRIC FIELDS Avcurface of pllar = 10 Ne Ac onbitofelecteon in hydrogen tom 6 10! In Xray tbe 5x 108 Blecsieal breakdown of aie 3x 108 In Van de Graaf acelerator 2x 108 Within ihtning bolt 10" Unde thundercloud 1x08 [Near sada transmitter (FPS-6) 7x10! In nlght (em) 1x10! In atmosphere (fiir westhes) 1x10 Inbeam of smal later (es) ix In lvorescent lighting tube 10 In radio wave = 107 Within household wiring ata given position, we take a point charge g(a “test charge”) and place i at that posi tion, The charge g wil then experience an electric force F. By dividing out the charge 4g.we isolate the factor characteristic of the charge distribution and we eliminate the factor characteristic ofthe test charge, We define the electric field E as the force F divided by the magnitude g of the charge: Es ssi (23.5) ‘This means that the electric field is the force per unit charge. Note that with this def inition, the cletre field is independent of the magnitude of the test charge. The elec~ tric field isa very useful concept: fora given charge distribution, instead of caleulating the force thatthe charges exert on another charge gat some point (which would bedi ferent for different values of g), the electric field tells us the force per unit charge on any charge placed at that point. Thus, the electre field E depends on the magnitudes and positions ofthe charges that produce the electric eld, but it does not depend on the magnitude ofthe test charge q used to detect it. The ST unit of electric fed isthe newton per coulomb (N/C).Table 23.1 gives the magnitudes of some typical electric fields ‘The net electric fed generated by any distribution of point charges can be calculated by forming the vector sum ofthe individual electric fields du to the point charges, where each, individual electric field i given by Eq, (23.2). This proceduce is justified by the Principle ‘of Superposition for electric forces stated in Section 22.3. Thus to find the total elec ‘tic field at some point in space, you simply sum the individual vectors [with magni- tude given by Eq, (23.2), and direction away from positive charges or toward negative charges} "As we sal sein Chaps 25, ewtoneoulomb isthe same ting a volte