Electric Field

The space surrounding an electric charge q in which another charge q₀ experiences a (electrostatic) force of attraction or repulsion, is called the electric field of the charge q.

OR

Electric field due to a charge Q at a point in space may be defined as the force that a unit positive charge would experience if placed at that point.

\[\vec{E}=\frac{1}{4\pi\varepsilon_0}\frac{Q}{r^2}\hat{r}\]

• A charge creates an electric field around it, even if no other charge is present.
• The electric field does not depend on the test charge used to measure it (if the test charge is very small).
• The field of a positive charge points outward; the field of a negative charge points inward.
• The strength of the electric field decreases as the distance from the charge increases.
• At equal distances from a point charge, the electric field has the same magnitude (spherical symmetry).