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- We can define the electric field at some point near the charged object (Q), such as point P in figure, as follows:
- PHY102 Physics II © Dr.Cem Özdoğan
- The electric field, E, is a vector field: it consists of a distribution of vectors, one for each point in the region around a charged object.
- A positive test charge q0, placed at the point P will experience an electrostatic force, F.
- The electric field at point P due to the charged object is defined as the electric field, E, at that point:
- The SI unit for the electric field is the Newton per coulomb (N/C).
- The electric field exists independently of the test charge: it existed both before and after the test charge was put there.
- Assumption in the defining procedure: the presence of the test charge does not affect the charge distribution on the charged object. → No disturbance on charge distribution.