3.7.3 Electric Fields

Question 1

What is the nature of electric fields

Answer 1

Attractive or Repulsive

Question 2

What does Coulomb’s law give

Answer 2

The force of attraction or repulsion between two point charges in a vacuum

Question 3

What is electric field strength E

Answer 3

The force per unit positive charge
(The force that a charge of +1 C would experience if it was placed in the electric field)

Question 4

How is a uniform field produced

Answer 4

By connecting two parallel plates to the opposite poles of a battery
The field strength is the same at all points between the two plates

Question 5

How can uniform fields be used

Answer 5

Used to determine whether a particle is charged or not
The path of a charged particle moving through an electric field will bend - the direction depends on whether it is a positive or negative charge

Question 6

What is absolute electric potential

Answer 6

All points in an electric field have an absolute electric potential
This is the electric potential energy that a unit positive charge (+1C) would have at that point

Question 7

What does absolute electric potential of a point depend on

Answer 7

How far it is from the charge creating the electric field and the size of that charge

Question 8

What is electric potential difference

Answer 8

The energy needed to move a unit charge
If two points in an electric field have different potential then there is an electric potential difference