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- PHY102 Physics II © Dr.Cem Özdoğan
- The particles do not touch:
- How can particle 2 push on particle 1?
- How can there be such an action at a distance?
- How does particle 1 “know” of the presence of particle 2?
- The explanation that we shall examine here is this: Particle 2 sets up an electric field at all points in the surrounding space, even if the space is a vacuum (→ ε0).
- If we place particle 1 at any point in that space, particle 1 knows of the presence of particle 2 because it is affected by the electric field particle 2 has already set up at that point.
- Thus, particle 2 pushes on particle 1 not by touching it. Instead, particle 2 pushes by means of the electric field it has set up.