Question

Two charges are in close proximity to one another. Describe electric field lines and the rules for diagraming field lines between two charges.

Answer 1

A more useful means of visually representing the vector nature of an electric field is through the use of electric field lines of force. Rather than draw countless vector arrows in the space surrounding a source charge, it is perhaps more useful to draw a pattern of several lines that extend between infinity and 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. As such, the lines are directed away from positively charged source charges and toward negatively charged source charges. To communicate info about the direction of the field, each line must include an arrowhead that points in the appropriate direction. An electric field line pattern could include an infinite number of lines. Because drawing such large quantities of lines tends to decrease the readability of the patterns, the number of lines is usually limited. The presence of a few lines around a charge is typically sufficient to convey the nature of the electric field in the space surrounding the lines.

Answer 2

Sample Response: Electric field lines are lines drawn on a diagram of charged particles indicating the direction of the flow of the field. The lines originate at a positive point charge and end at a negative point charge. They do not cross each other and the density of the lines indicates the strength of the electric field.