The Electric Field

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Textbook

University Physics Volume 2: Chapter 5.4

Theory

Electric Field

The electric field acts as a shortcut for calculating the electric force ${\vec {F}}$ on a test charge $q$, similar to how the gravitational field $g$ simplifies calculations for gravitational force. Instead of recalculating the force based on Coulomb's Law (and adding the forces of multiple source charges), we can use the electric field, where:

${\vec {F}}=q_{t}\cdot {\vec {E}}$

In the same way that ${\vec {g}}$ gives the gravitational force per kilogram, ${\vec {E}}$ gives the electric force per coulomb.

Other Videos

MIT Physics Demo -- Faraday's Cage

Simulations

• PhET Simulation: Electric Field of Dreams
  
• PhET Simulation: Charges and Fields
  
• PhET Simulation: Electric Field Hockey
  
• PhET Simulation: Radio Waves & Electromagnetic Fields
  
• PhET Simulation: Microwaves
  

Other Links

Electric Field vectors

The Electric Field

The Electric Field-3D

Lightning applet

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