Electric Fields

Front

Electric Field Noun

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[i-lek-trik feeld]

Back

Electric Field

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An invisible force field created by electrical charges, representing the region where another charge will experience a force.

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Example: This diagram shows that electric field lines point away from a positive charge and towards a negative charge, illustrating the field's direction.

Front

Test Charge Noun

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[test charj]

Back

Test Charge

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A small, conventionally positive charge used to determine the properties, such as strength and direction, of an electric field.

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Example: A small positive test charge is placed near a larger negative source charge, showing the attractive force (F) that reveals the electric field's direction.

Front

Electric Field Lines Noun

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[i-lek-trik feeld lynes]

Back

Electric Field Lines

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Imaginary lines representing an electric field, pointing away from positive charges and towards negative charges to indicate force direction.

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Example: This diagram shows that electric field lines point away from a positive charge (+) and towards a negative charge (-), illustrating their direction.

Front

Electric Field Strength Noun

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[i-lek-trik feeld strength]

Back

Electric Field Strength

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A quantitative measure of an electric field's intensity at a location, defined as the electric force per unit charge.

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Example: This image shows that electric field lines point away from a positive charge and towards a negative charge, illustrating the direction of the electric field.

Front

Coulomb's Law Noun

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[koo-loms law]

Back

Coulomb's Law

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A fundamental law describing the electrostatic force of attraction or repulsion between two stationary, electrically charged objects.

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Example: This diagram shows Coulomb's Law by illustrating the attractive force (F) between a positive nucleus (+q1) and a negative electron (-q2) over a distance (r).

Front

Electrostatic Force Noun

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[i-lek-tro-stat-ik fors]

Back

Electrostatic Force

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The force of attraction or repulsion that exists between stationary electric charges, as described by Coulomb's law.

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Example: This diagram shows that objects with the same electric charge (like two positives) push each other away, while objects with opposite charges (positive and negative) pull towards each other.

Front

Point Charge Noun

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[point charj]

Back

Point Charge

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An idealized model of a charged object where its physical dimensions are considered negligible and treated as a single point.

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Example: This diagram shows how point charges interact: like charges (+ and +) push each other away, while opposite charges (+ and -) pull together.

Front

Uniform Electric Field Noun

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[yoo-nuh-form i-lek-trik feeld]

Back

Uniform Electric Field

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An electric field where the magnitude and direction are the same at all points, typically between two parallel conducting plates.

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Example: This diagram shows a uniform electric field, where straight, evenly spaced lines represent a field of constant strength and direction between two parallel charged plates.

Front

Conductor Noun

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[kon-duk-ter]

Back

Conductor

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A material in which electric charges, typically electrons, are free to move, allowing for the flow of electric current.

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Example: In a conductor without voltage, free electrons move randomly. When voltage is applied, the electric field directs electrons to flow, creating an electric current.

Front

Electric Potential Energy Noun

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[i-lek-trik po-ten-shul en-er-jee]

Back

Electric Potential Energy

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The potential energy a charged particle possesses due to its specific location within an electric field.

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Example: A positive charge has high electric potential energy when near other positive charges and will naturally move toward negative charges, a region of low potential energy.