Definition 9.3.1. Electric field.
The electric field is a vector field that tells a charged object what electric force to feel.
Section 9.3 Electric Field
Electric fields exist everywhere in space. The motion of charged objects through space is governed by any pre-existing electric fields. You can understand this motion by analyzing the force applied to a charged object due to an electric field.
Definition 9.3.2. Electric force.
The electric force on a pointlike object is the product of the object’s charge and the electric field at the location of the object:
\begin{equation*}
\vec{F}^E = q_{\text{test}} \vec{E}
\end{equation*}
Exercises Activities
1. Fields in Science.
An electric field is a field, which means it has a potentially different value everywhere in space. Identify one other quantity you are familiar with that could be described as a field. It can be from physics or from another science, or from your everyday experience. Explain why you believe the quantity you chose is a field.
2. Sensemaking: Units.
What are the units of the electric field?
