Electric Field Lines

In the previous section of Lesson 4, the vector nature of the electric field strength was discussed.
The magnitude or strength of an electric field in the space surrounding a source charge is related directly to
the quantity of charge on the source charge and inversely to the distance from the source charge.
The direction of the electric field is always directed in the direction that a positive test charge would be
pushed or pulled if placed in the space surrounding the source charge.
Electric field is a vector quantity, it can be represented by a vector arrow.
Arrows point in the direction of the electric field and their length is proportional to the strength of the electric
field at that location.
The lengths of the arrows are longer when closer to the source charge and shorter when further from the
source charge.

These pattern of lines, sometimes referred to as electric field lines, point in the direction that a positive test
charge would accelerate if placed upon the line.
The lines are directed away from positively charged source charges and toward negatively charged source

charges.  

Rules for Drawing Electric Field Patterns

Objects with greater charge create stronger electric fields. By surrounding a highly charged object with
more lines, one can communicate the strength of an electric field in the space surrounding a charged object
by the line density. This convention is depicted in the diagram below.

Not only does the density of lines surrounding any given object reveal information about the quantity of
charge on the source charge, the density of lines at a specific location in space reveals information about
the strength of the field at that location.
Two different circular cross-sections are drawn at different distances from the source charge. These cross-
sections represent regions of space closer to and further from the source charge. The field lines are closer
together in the regions of space closest to the charge; and they are spread further apart in the regions of
space furthest from the charge.
Based on the convention concerning line density, one would reason that the electric field is greatest at
locations closest to the surface of the charge and least at locations further from the surface of the charge.
Line density in an electric field line pattern reveals information about the strength or magnitude of an
electric field.
The electric force, and thus the electric field, is always directed perpendicular to the surface of an object.
If there were ever any component of force parallel to the surface, then any excess charge residing upon the
surface of a source charge would begin to accelerate.
This would lead to the occurrence of an electric current within the object; this is never observed
in static electricity.
Once a line of force leaves the surface of an object, it will often change its direction. This occurs when
drawing electric field lines for configurations of two or more charges.
Electric field lines should never cross.
If electric field lines were ever allowed to cross each other at a given location, then you might be able to
imagine the results.
Electric field lines reveal information about the direction (and the strength) of an electric field within a region
of space. If the lines cross each other at a given location, then there must be two distinctly different values
of electric field with their own individual direction at that given location. This could never be the case.
Every single location in space has its own electric field strength and direction associated with it.
The lines representing the field cannot cross each other at any given location in space.

Electric Field Lines for Configurations of Two or More Charges

We’ve seen electric field lines for the space surrounding single point charges. But what if a region of space
contains more than one point charge? How can the electric field in the space surrounding a configuration of
two or more charges be described by electric field lines? To answer this question, we will first return to our
original method of drawing electric field vectors.
Suppose that there are two positive charges - charge A (Q A) and charge B (QB) - in a given region of space.
Each charge creates its own electric field. At any given location surrounding the charges, the strength of
the electric field can be calculated using the expression kQ/d 2. Since there are two charges, the
kQ/d2 calculation would have to be performed twice at each location - once with kQ A/dA2 and once with
kQB/dB2 (dA is the distance from that location to the center of charge A and d B is the distance from that
location to the center of charge B). The results of these calculations are illustrated in the diagram below
with electric field vectors (EA and EB) drawn at a variety of locations. The strength of the field is represented
by the length of the arrow and the direction of the field is represented by the direction of the arrow.

 
Electric field is a vector, the usual operations that apply to vectors can be applied to electric field. That is,
they can be added in head-to-tail fashion to determine the resultant or net electric field vector at each
location.

The magnitude and direction of the electric field at each location is simply the vector sum of the electric
field vectors for each individual charge. If more locations are selected and the process of drawing E A,
EB and Enetis repeated, then the electric field strength and direction at a multitude of locations will be known.
(This is not done since it is a highly time intensive task.) Ultimately, the electric field lines surrounding the
configuration of our two charges would begin to emerge. For the limited number of points selected in this
location, the beginnings of the electric field line pattern can be seen. This is depicted in the diagram below.
Note that for each location, the electric field vectors point tangent to the direction of the electric field lines at
any given point.
 
The construction of electric field lines in this manner is a tedious and cumbersome task. The use of a field
plotting computer software program or a lab procedure produces similar results in less time (and with more
phun). Whatever the method used to determine the electric field line patterns for a configuration of charges,
the general idea is that the pattern is the resultant of the patterns for the individual charges within the
configuration. The electric field line patterns for other charge configurations are shown in the diagrams
below.

 
In each of the above diagrams, the individual source charges in the configuration possess the same
amount of charge. Having an identical quantity of charge, each source charge has an equal ability to alter
the space surrounding it. Subsequently, the pattern is symmetrical in nature and the number of lines
emanating from a source charge or extending towards a source charge is the same. This reinforces a
principle discussed earlier that stated that the density of lines surrounding any given source charge is
proportional to the quantity of charge on that source charge. If the quantity of charge on a source charge is
not identical, the pattern will take on an asymmetric nature, as one of the source charges will have a
greater ability to alter the electrical nature of the surrounding space. This is depicted in the electric field line
patterns below.
 
After plotting the electric field line patterns for a variety of charge configurations, the general patterns for
other configurations can be predicted. There are a number of principles that will assist in such predictions.
These principles are described (or re-described) in the list below.
 Electric field lines always extend from a positively charged object to a negatively charged object,
from a positively charged object to infinity, or from infinity to a negatively charged object.
 Electric field lines never cross each other.
 Electric field lines are most dense around objects with the greatest amount of charge.
 At locations where electric field lines meet the surface of an object, the lines are perpendicular to
the surface.
 
 

Electric Field Lines as an Invisible Reality

It has been emphasized in Lesson 4 that the concept of an electric field arose as scientists attempted to
explain the action-at-a-distance that occurs between charged objects. The concept of the electric field was
first introduced by 19th century physicist Michael Faraday. It was Faraday's perception that the pattern of
lines characterizing the electric field represents an invisible reality. Rather than thinking in terms of one
charge affecting another charge, Faraday used the concept of a field to propose that a charged object (or a
massive object in the case of a gravitational field) affects the space that surrounds it. As another object
enters that space, it becomes affected by the field established in that space. Viewed in this manner, a
charge is seen to interact with an electric field as opposed to with another charge. To Faraday, the secret to
understanding action-at-a-distance is to understand the power of charge-field-charge. A charged object
sends its electric field into space, reaching from the "puller to the pullee." Each charge or configuration of
charges creates an intricate web of influence in the space surrounding it. While the lines are invisible, the
effect is ever so real. So as you practice the exercise of constructing electric field lines around charges or
configuration of charges, you are doing more than simply drawing curvy lines. Rather, you are describing
the electrified web of space that will draw and repel other charges that enter it.
Use your understanding to answer the following questions. When finished, click the button to view the
answers.
1. Several electric field line patterns are shown in the diagrams below. Which of these patterns are
incorrect? _________ Explain what is wrong with all incorrect diagrams.
Answer: C, D and E
In C, the lines are directed towards a positively charged object.
In D, the lines are not symmetrically positioned despite the fact that the object is a symmetrical sphere.
In E, the lines are directed away from a negative charge.
2. Erin Agin drew the following electric field lines for a configuration of two charges. What did Erin do
wrong? Explain. Electric field lines should never intersect each other. Erin crossed his lines.
3. Consider the electric field lines shown in the diagram below. From the diagram, it is apparent that object
A is ____ and object B is ____.

a. +, + b. -, - c. +, - d. -, + e. insufficient info
Answer: D
Electric field lines are directed towards object A so object A must be negative. They are directed away from
object B so object B must be positive.
4. Consider the electric field lines drawn at the right for a
configuration of two charges. Several locations are labeled
on the diagram. Rank these locations in order of the electric
field strength - from smallest to largest.
See Answer
Answer: DAECB (with the order of C and B being in question)
Electric field strength is greatest where the lines are closest
together and weakest where lines are furthest apart.
5. Use your understanding of electric field lines to identify the charges on the objects in the following
configurations.
Answer: Objects A, C, F, G, H and I are positive.
Objects B, D and E are negatively charged. The principle is: electric field lines always approach negatively
charged objects and are directed away from positively charged objects.
describe an electric field as a region in which an electric charge experiences a force

The direction of the field is by definition the direction of the force on a positivelycharged object: the field points away

from a positive source charge, and toward a negative source charge. A common definition for electric field is
a region of space where a positive test charge experiences a force.

Electric Charge and Electric Field

ELECTRIC CHARGE
Atoms and molecules have the same number of protons as electrons and are neutral (without overall charge).  Electrons
can be transferred from one object to another.  When this happens, there is an excess of electrons in one place and a
deficiency of electrons in another. Charge is the result of an excess or deficiency of electrons.  Where an object has
excess electrons, the object is negatively charged. Where there is a deficiency of electrons, the object is positively
charged. Electric charge is usually represented in equations by the letter q or Q.
ELECTROSTATIC
"Electrostatic" pertains to electric charges at rest or to fields or phenomena produced by stationary charge(s).
COULOMB'S LAW
Two charges, Q and q, separated by a distance, r, each experience a force of magnitude

F = k|Qq|/r2 where k = 9 x 109 and |Qq| is the positive value of the product of Q and q

Charges of the same sign repel, of different signs attract each other.
ELECTRIC FIELD
The charge , Q, causes an electric force on every other charge, q. Q is called the source charge as it is considered to be
the cause of the electric field, while q is called a test charge. The field is a vector quantity. The direction of the field is by
definition the direction of the force on a positively charged object: the field points away from a positive source charge, and
toward a negative source charge.
A common definition for electric field is a region of space where a positive test charge experiences a force.
Electric field intensity (sometimes just called electric field) is the force per unit charge experienced by a point charge
somewhere in space. 

El = F/q

Therefore, F = Elq
That is, electric field is the force produced by a source charge, Q, exerted on every coulomb of charge of a test charge at a
distance r away from the source of the field.
El = kQ/r2
For parallel plates, El = ΔV/d, where ΔV is the potential between plates, and d is the distance between the plates.
For parallel plates, El = σ/ε0 where σ is the surface charge density C / m2.
GAUSS'S THEOREM
The total flux, ε, through a closed surface is equal to 1/ε 0 times the total charge contained within it. The location of the
charge(es) within the sphere does not matter.
Electric Charge and Electric Field Problems
1. Starting with a neutral electroscope, show the charge distribution and action of the leaves when the electroscope is first
touched by a positively charged object, and then by a large neutral object.
2. Starting with a neutral electroscope, show the charge distribution and action of the leaves when the electroscope is
brought near a negatively charged object.
3.
a. Two objects are identical in every way except that one is neutral, and the other has 2 excess electrons. Show what
happens to the distribution of charges when the two objects are brought into contact and then released.
b. If the charge on the electron is "-1" what is the charge on each of the two objects after they are separated?
4.
a. Two objects are identical in every way except that one is deficient by two electrons, and the other has 4 excess
electrons. Show what happens to the distribution of charges when the two objects are brought into contact and then
released.
b. If the charge on the electron is "-1" what is the charge on each of the two objects after they are separated?
5. Two neutral identical objects , A and B, are in contact and brought near a negatively charged object, C. While in the
presence of C, A and B are separated. What are the relative charges of A and B? Draw diagrams to show the charge
distributions at each step.
6. A charge of -2 x 10-6 C experiences a force of 0.08 N [left]. What is the electric field at that point?
7. A charge of +3.0 x 10-6 C is 0.25 m away from a charge of -6.0 x 10-6 C.
a. What is the force on the 3.0 x 10-6 C charge?
b. What is the force on the -6.0 x 10-6 C charge?

8.  Three charges, q1 = 4 x 10-6 C, q2 = -2 x 10-6 C, and q3 = 5 x 10-6 C are placed at the
corners of a square with>sides 0.30 m. What is the field at the fourth corner?
 9. A charged droplet of mass 5.88 x 10-10 kg is hovering motionless
between two parallel plates. The parallel plates have a potential difference of 24000 V and are 2.00 mm apart. What is the
charge on the particle? By how many electrons is the particle deficient?
10. Four point charges form the vertices of a square with sides = L. Two diagonally opposite charges have a charge of
2.25 C each. The other two charges are identical to each other and each have a charge, q. If there is no net force on either
of the 2.25 C points, what is the value of q?
11. Two point charges lie on the x-axis. A charge of 9.9 C is at the origin, and a charge of -5.1 C is at x=10cm.
a. At what position x would a third charge q3 be in equilibrium?
b. Does your answer to part a depend on whether q3 is positive or negative? Explain.
12. Two particles each with a positive charge of q are placed on the vertices of a square having sides a. A third particle
with a positive charge Q is placed at the center of the square. What is the force on the particle at the center of the square?
13. A charge of 6.00*10-9 C and a charge of -3.00*10-9 C are separated by a distance of 60.0 cm. Find the position at which
a third charge of 12.0*10-9 C can be placed so that the net electrostatic force on it is zero.
14. An electron enters a region where the field strength is 3.0*10 6 N/C. (a) What is the electron's acceleration? (b) Starting
from rest, how far does the electron travel to acquire 10% of the speed of light?
15. Four point charges, each of magnitude 2.34*10¹ C, form a square with sides 40.8 cm. If three of the charges are
positive and one is negative, find the magnitude of the force experienced by the negative charge.
16. Two 24-g spheres are each attached to the bottom of very light 78 cm wires. When the wires are joined at the top, they
each form an angle of 30 degrees to the vertical. What is the total charge on the spheres?
17. Two point charges have a total charge of 560 μC. When placed 1.10m apart, the force each exerts on the other is
22.8N and is repulsive. What is the charge on each?
18. Explain how to calculate the amount of free charge in a wire.
19. A sphere with a charge of -50 is centered within a hollow sphere having a charge of -100. Describe the distribution of
charges.
20. A square with sides 52.5 cm is formed by a +45.0 x 10 -6 C charge at one corner and -27.0 x 10-6 C charges at each of
the other corners. What is the electric field at the center?
21. A -3.5 x 10-10 C point charge is fixed near the Earth's surface. An electron is placed near the point charge so that the
electric force acting on the electron cancels the electron’s weight. Where is the electron relative to the point charge?
22. Three point charges, each +4.6 μC, form a straight line. Charge A is 1.8 m from the central charge, B. Charge C is 2.2
m from charge B. What is the magnitude and direction of the net force on each charge?
23. An 4.50 μC electric charge is in an electric field with a y-component E y = 4000 N/C, an x-component Ex = 700 N/C and
a z-component Ez = 0. What are the magnitude and direction of force on the charge?
24.Two charges, +q and 4q, are 1 m apart. What are the location, magnitude and sign of a third charge, Q, placed so that
the entire system is at equilibrium?
25. Find the electric field midway between charges of +.000000030 C and +.000000060 C 30.0 cm apart.
26. A -2.00 μC forms the apex of a triangle, while two +5.00 μC charges form the base.  One of the +5.00 μC charges is
20.00 cm from the apex, and the third charge is 8.75 cm away from the apex.  The angle at the apex is 1.396 rad.   Find
the net force on the third charge.
27. Two parallel plates 2.1mm apart have a 36V potential difference. (i) What is the electric field strength between the
plates? (ii) Sketch the electric flux lines between the plates, and show the direction of the field. (iii) Suggest three ways to
increase capacitance. (iv) Find the force on a +180nC particle placed midway between the plates, and the energy required
to move the particle 0.7mm towards the positively charged plate.
28. Explain how to calculate the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of a particle given  the electrical field intensity.
29. A +2.0 μC charge is located on the x-axis at +0.3 m and another at -0.3 m. A third charge, +4.0 μC, is located on the y-
axis at +0.4m. Find
a. the net force on the third charge
b. the electric field at (0,-0.4m) 
c. the potential at (0,-0.4m)
30. Suppose that equal and opposite charges were placed on the Earth and the Moon.  What amount of charge on each
would supply an electrical force equal to the gravitational force between them?
31. Point charges, -1q,-2q,-3q......,-12q, are fixed at the corresponding positions on the face of a clock.  What is the
direction of the electric field?

32. Two non-coincident point charges on the x axis are each separated by a distance, a,
from the origin. Show that at a distant point along the x axis the electric field is given by
Ex = 4keqa/x
33. Find the total electric flux through a spherical shell placed in a uniform electric field.
34. A tiny plastic sphere (mass = m, charge = –q) hovers above a large horizontal plastic sheet having a uniform charge
density on its surface. Use Gauss' Theorem to find the sheet’s charge per unit area.
35. An electron with an initial kinetic energy of 1.60 × 10 –17 J decelerates to rest over a distance of 10.0 cm. What are the
magnitude and direction of the electric field that stopped the electron?
Answers to Electric Charge and Electric Field Problems
Selected solutions are printed below.
1.
For solutions to all the problems on this page click here.
31. All angles are measured relative to 12 o'clock at zero degrees. Assigning a value of "1" to the electric field at the center
of the clock face due to the charge at the 1 o'clock position, the x and y components of the field are given by sin30º and
cos30º; the x and y components of the field due to the charge at 2 o'clock are given by 2sin60º and 2cos60º; and so on.
The net field subtends an angle at the center of the clock face given by 
tan-1(-22.39/6.00) = -75º,
which corresponds to a time of 9:30.
Q x-component y-component

-1 0.50 0.87

-2 1.73 1.00

-3 3.00 0.00

-4 3.46 -2.00

-5 2.50 -4.33

-6 0.00 -6.00

-7 -3.50 -6.06

-8 -6.93 -4.00

-9 -9.00 0.00
 Q x-component y-component

-10 -8.66 5.00

-11 -5.50 9.53

-12 0.00 12.00

     

Totals -22.39 6.00

Electric Field Intensity

In the previous section of Lesson 4, the concept of an electric field was introduced. It was stated that the
electric field concept arose in an effort to explain action-at-a-distance forces. All charged objects create an
electric field that extends outward into the space that surrounds it. The charge alters that space, causing
any other charged object that enters the space to be affected by this field. The strength of the electric field
is dependent upon how charged the object creating the field is and upon the distance of separation from
the charged object. In this section of Lesson 4, we will investigate electric field from a numerical viewpoint -
the electric field strength.

The Force per Charge Ratio

Electric field strength is a vector quantity; it has both magnitude and direction. The magnitude of the electric
field strength is defined in terms of how it is measured. Let's suppose
that an electric charge can be denoted by the symbol Q. This electric
charge creates an electric field; since Q is the source of the electric
field, we will refer to it as the source charge. The strength of the source
charge's electric field could be measured by any other charge placed
somewhere in its surroundings. The charge that is used to measure the
electric field strength is referred to as a test charge since it is used to test the field strength. The test charge
has a quantity of charge denoted by the symbol q. When placed within the electric field, the test charge will
experience an electric force - either attractive or repulsive. As is usually the case, this force will be denoted
by the symbol F. The magnitude of the electric field is simply defined as the force per charge on the test
charge.
If the electric field strength is denoted by the symbol E, then the equation can be rewritten in symbolic form
as

.
The standard metric units on electric field strength arise from its definition. Since electric field is defined as
a force per charge, its units would be force units divided by charge units. In this case, the standard metric
units are Newton/Coulomb or N/C.
In the above discussion, you will note that two charges are mentioned - the source charge and the test
charge. Two charges would always be necessary to encounter a force. In the electric world, it takes two to
attract or repel. The equation for electric field strength (E) has one of the two charge quantities listed in it.
Since there are two charges involved, a student will have to be ultimately careful to use the correct charge
quantity when computing the electric field strength. The symbol q in the equation is the quantity of charge
on the test charge (not the source charge). Recall that the electric field strength is defined in terms of how it
is measured or tested; thus, the test charge finds its way into the equation. Electric field is the force per
quantity of charge on the test charge.
The electric field strength is not dependent upon the quantity of charge on the test charge. If you think
about that statement for a little while, you might be bothered by it. (Of course if you don't think at all - ever -
nothing really bothers you. Ignorance is bliss.) After all, the quantity of charge on the test charge (q) is in
the equation for electric field. So how could electric field strength not be dependent upon q if q is in the
equation? Good question. But if you think about it a little while longer, you will be able to answer your own
question. (Ignorance might be bliss. But with a little extra thinking you might achieve insight, a state much
better than bliss.) Increasing the quantity of charge on the test charge - say, by a factor of 2 - would
increase the denominator of the equation by a factor of 2. But according to Coulomb's law, more charge
also means more electric force (F). In fact, a twofold increase in q would be accompanied by a twofold
increase in F. So as the denominator in the equation increases by a factor of two (or three or four), the
numerator increases by the same factor. These two changes offset each other such that one can safely say
that the electric field strength is not dependent upon the quantity of charge on the test charge. So
regardless of what test charge is used, the electric field strength at any given location around the source
charge Q will be measured to be the same.
 

Another Electric Field Strength Formula

The above discussion pertained to defining electric field strength in terms of how it is measured. Now we
will investigate a new equation that defines electric field strength in terms of the variables that affect the
electric field strength. To do so, we will have to revisit the Coulomb's law equation. Coulomb's law states
that the electric force between two charges is directly proportional to the product of their charges and
inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. When applied to our two charges
- the source charge (Q) and the test charge (q) - the formula for electric force can be written as
If the expression for electric force as given by Coulomb's law is substituted for force in the above E =F/q
equation, a new equation can be derived as shown below.

Note that the derivation above shows that the test charge q was canceled from both numerator and
denominator of the equation. The new formula for electric field strength (shown inside the box) expresses
the field strength in terms of the two variables that affect it. The electric field strength is dependent upon the
quantity of charge on the source charge (Q) and the distance of separation (d) from the source charge.

An Inverse Square Law

Like all formulas in physics, the formulas for electric field strength can be used to algebraically solve
physics word problems. And like all formulas, these electric field strength formulas can also be used to
guide our thinking about how an alteration of one variable might (or might not) affect another variable. One
feature of this electric field strength formula is that it illustrates an inverse square relationship between
electric field strength and distance. The strength of an electric field as created by source charge Q is
inversely related to square of the distance from the source. This is known as an inverse square law.
Electric field strength is location dependent, and its magnitude decreases as the distance from a location to
the source increases. And by whatever factor the distance is changed, the
electric field strength will change inversely by the square of that factor. So if
separation distance increases by a factor of 2, the electric field strength
decreases by a factor of 4 (2^2). If the separation distance increases by a
factor of 3, the electric field strength decreases by a factor of 9 (3^2). If the
separation distance increases by a factor of 4, the electric field strength
decreases by a factor of 16 (4^2). And finally, if separation distance
decreases by a factor of 2, the electric field strength increases by a factor of 4 (2^2).
Use this principle of the inverse square relationship between electric field strength and distance to answer
the first three questions in the Check Your Understanding section below.

The Stinky Field Analogy Revisited

In the previous section of Lesson 4, a somewhat crude yet instructive analogy was presented - the stinky
field analogy. The analogy compares the concept of an electric field surrounding a source charge to the
stinky field that surrounds an infant's stinky diaper. Just as every stinky diaper creates a stinky field, every
electric charge creates an electric field. And if you want to know the strength of the stinky field, you simply
use a stinky detector - a nose that (as far as I have experienced) always responds in a repulsive manner to
the stinky source. In the same way, if you want to know the strength of an electric field, you simply use a
charge detector - a test charge that will respond in an attractive or repulsive manner to the source charge.
And of course the strength of the field is proportional to the effect upon the detector. A more sensitive
detector (a better nose or a more charged test charge) will sense the effect more intensely. Yet the field
strength is defined as the effect (or force) per sensitivity of the detector; so the field strength of a stinky
diaper or of an electric charge is not dependent upon the sensitivity of the detector.
If you measure the diaper's stinky field, it only makes sense that it would not be affected by how stinky you
are. A person measuring the strength of a diaper's stinky field can create their own field, the strength of
which is dependent upon how stinky they are. But that person's field is not to be confused with the diaper's
stinky field. The diaper's stinky field depends on how stinky the diaper is. In the same way, the strength of a
source charge's electric field is dependent upon how charged up the source charge is. Furthermore, just as
with the stinky field, our electric field equation shows that as you get closer and closer to the source of the
field, the effect becomes greater and greater and the electric field strength increases.
The stinky field analogy proves useful in conveying both the concept of an electric field and the
mathematics of an electric field. Conceptually, it illustrates how the source of a field can affect the
surrounding space and exert influences upon sensitive detectors in that space. And mathematically, it
illustrates how the strength of the field is dependent upon the source and the distance from the source and
independent of any characteristic having to do with the detector.

The Direction of the Electric Field Vector

As mentioned earlier, electric field strength is a vector quantity. Unlike a scalar quantity, a vector quantity is
not fully described unless there is a direction associated with it. The magnitude of the electric field vector is
calculated as the force per charge on any given test charge located within the electric field. The force on
the test charge could be directed either towards the source charge or directly away from it. The precise
direction of the force is dependent upon whether the test charge and the source charge have the same type
of charge (in which repulsion occurs) or the opposite type of charge (in which attraction occurs). To resolve
the dilemma of whether the electric field vector is directed towards or away from the source charge, a
convention has been established. The worldwide convention that is used by scientists is to define the
direction of the electric field vector as the direction that a positive test charge is pushed or pulled when in
the presence of the electric field. By using the convention of a positive test charge, everyone can agree
upon the direction of E.
Given this convention of a positive test charge, several generalities can be made about the direction of the
electric field vector. A positive source charge would create an electric field that would exert a repulsive
effect upon a positive test charge. Thus, the electric field vector would always be directed away from
positively charged objects. On the other hand, a positive test charge would be attracted to a negative
source charge. Therefore, electric field vectors are always directed towards negatively charged objects.
You might test your understanding of electric field directions by attempting questions 6 and 7 below.
 
Use your understanding to answer the following questions. When finished, click the button to view the
answers.
1. Charge Q acts as a point charge to create an electric field. Its strength, measured a distance of 30 cm
away, is 40 N/C. What is the magnitude of the electric field strength that you would expect to be measured
at a distance of ...
a. 60 cm away?
b. 15 cm away?
c. 90 cm away?
d. 3 cm away?
c. 45 cm away?
Answers: a) 10 N/C, b) 160 N/C, c) 4.4 N/C, d) 4000 N/C, e)17.8 N/C
The electric field strength is inversely related to the square of the distance. So by whatever factor d
changes by, the E value is altered in the inverse direction by the square of that factor. The specifics are as
follows:
a) d increases by a factor of 2; divide the original E by 4.
b) d decreases by a factor of 2; multiply the original E by 4.
c) d increases by a factor of 3; divide the original E by 9.
d) d decreases by a factor of 10; multiply the original E by 100.
e) d increases by a factor of 1.5; divide the original E by (1.5) 2.
2. Charge Q acts as a point charge to create an electric field. Its strength, measured a distance of 30 cm
away, is 40 N/C. What would be the electric field strength ...
a. 30 cm away from a source with charge 2Q?
b. 30 cm away from a source with charge 3Q?
c. 60 cm away from a source with charge 2Q?
d. 15 cm away from a source with charge 2Q?
e. 150 cm away from a source with charge 0.5Q?
Answers: a) 80 N/C, b) 120 N/C, c) 20 N/C d) 320 N/C, e) 0.80 N/C
In general, the E value is directly related to the source charge and inversely related to the square of the
distance. Alter E by the same factor that the charge changes by; and alter E by the inverse square of the
factor that d is changed by. The specifics are as follows
a) Twice the source charge will double the E value.
b) Three times the source charge will triple the E value.
c) Two changes are required: double E since the source charge doubled and divide by 4 since the distance
increased by a factor of 2.
d) Two changes are required: double E since the source charge doubled and multiply by 4 since the
distance decreased by a factor of 2.
e) Two changes are required: divide E by 2 since the source charge halved and divide by 25 since the
distance increased by a factor of 5.
3. Use your understanding of electric field strength to complete the following table.
 
General comments: 1) the E value will always be equal to the F / q ratio. 2) Any alteration in q (without
altering Q and d) will not effect the E value. 3) If q is altered by some factor, F is altered by that same
factor; but if Q and d are not changed, the E will not be changed. 4) In the last two rows, the values in red
can be any number provided that the F/q ratio is equal to the E value.
Specific comments are as follows:
a) Find E by calculating F / q (both of which are given).
b) Find F by multiplying E by q (both of which are given).
c) Find E by calculating F/q (both of which are given).
d) Find F by multiplying E by q (both of which are given).
e) First find E, reasoning that since Q and d are the same in this row as the previous row, the E value must
also be the same. Then find q by dividing the given value of F by your calculated value for E.
f) Find F by multiplying E by q (both of which are given).
g) First find E, reasoning that since Q and d are the same in this row as the previous row, the E value must
also be the same. Then find F by multiplying the calculated value of E by the given value of q.
h) First find E, reasoning that since Q and d are the same in this row as the previous row, the E value must
also be the same. Then find q by dividing the given value of F by your calculated value for E.
i) Any value of q and F can be selected provided that the F/q ratio is equal to the given value of E.
j) First find E, reasoning that since Q and d are the same in this row as the previous row, the E value must
also be the same. Then any value of q and F can be selected provided that the F/q ratio is equal to the
determined value of E.
4. In the table above, identify at least two rows that illustrate that the strength of the electric field vector is ...
a. directly related to the quantity of charge on the source charge (Q).
b. inversely related to the square of the separation distance (d).
c. independent of the quantity of charge on the test charge (q).
a) Rows a and c or rows b and d. To illustrate that E is directly related to Q, you must find a set of rows in
which Q is altered by some factor while q and d are constant.
b) Rows c and f or rows c and h. To illustrate that E is inversely related to d 2, you must find a set of rows in
which d is altered by some factor while q and Q are kept constant.
c) Rows a and b or rows d and e or rows f and g. To illustrate that E is independent of q you must find a set
of rows in which q is altered but Q and d are kept constant.
5. The following unit is certainly not the standard unit for expressing the quantity electric field strength.
kg • m / s2 / C
However, it could be an acceptable unit for E. Use unit analysis to identify whether the above set of units is
an acceptable unit for electric field strength.
Answer: Yes it is.
A kg is a unit of mass and a m/s2 is a unit of acceleration. So a kg • m/s 2 is a unit of force; in fact, it is
equivalent to a Newton. Replacing the kg • m/s 2 with N converts this set of units to N/C which is the
standard metric unit of electric field.
6. It is observed that Balloon A is charged negatively. Balloon B exerts a repulsive effect upon balloon A.
Would the electric field vector created by balloon B be directed towards B or away from B? ___________
Explain your reasoning. Answer: Towards B
If balloon B repels balloon A then balloon B must be negatively charged. The electric field vectors are
always directed towards negatively charged objects. As such, the E vectors must be towards balloon B.
7. A negative source charge (Q) is shown in the diagram below. This source charge can create an electric
field. Various locations within the field are labeled. For each location, draw an electric field vector in the
appropriate direction with the appropriate relative magnitude. That is, draw the length of the E vector long
wherever the magnitude is large and short wherever the magnitude is small.
  

An electric field vector at any given location points in the direction which a positive test charge would be
pushed or pulled if placed at that location. The electric field vector in each case should be directed towards
the center of the source charge since a positive test charge would be attracted to this negative source
charge. The length of the vector should be inversely related to the distance from the center of the source
charge. Thus, locations B and C would have the longest arrow. Location D appears next closest and should
have the next longest arrow. And of course F and then E would have the shortest vector arrows since they
are furthest from the source charge.