Question #89b77

2 Answers
Mark C.
Oct 4, 2017

The 'line' is an arrow, meaning the field is a vector.

Explanation:

A vector has both size (or magnitude) and direction. As a field can point in different directions this information is also important.

Steve J.
Oct 4, 2017

The equation says that the electric field #vecE# is the following quotient: (the force, #vecF_E#, due to the electric field, on a test charge) divided by (the charge, q, of the test charge).

Explanation:

The definition of electric field from my copy of #Halliday*Resnick " Physics Part II"#:

If a positive test charge #q_o# is placed at point P and if an (electric) Force F acts on the stationary charge, an electric field E is present at P, where E is the vector satisfying the relation
F = #q_o# E

The Equation of the pic you included, with your symbols, is
#vecE = vecF_E/q#.
That equation is equivalent to the equation above from my college textbook.

  • The #vecE# is the electric field. The units of #vecE# are Newtons/Coulomb.
  • The #vecF_E# is the force that acts on a test charge due to the electric field it finds itself in. The unit of #vecF_E# is Newtons.
  • The #q# is the charge on the test charge. The unit of q is Coulombs.

I hope this helps,
Steve

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