1. Electric Fields

2. Fields and forces
• The concept of a field is used to describe any quantity that
has a value for all points in space.
• You can think of the field as the way forces are transmitted
between objects.
• Charge creates an electric field that creates forces on other
charges.

3. Fields and forces
• Mass creates a gravitational field that exerts
forces on other masses.

4. Fields and forces
• Gravitational forces are far weaker than electric forces.

5. Determining the Electric Field
• E = F/q
• E = Electric Field Strength (N/C)
q = amount of charge
F = force on charge

7. Drawing the electric field

8. Drawing the electric field
• E = F/q
• E = Electric Field Strength (N/C)
q = amount of charge
F = force on charge
•
• The direction of an electric field is drawn to
show how the field acts on positive
charge (Decided by convention)

9. Electric fields and electric force
• On the Earth’s surface, the gravitational field creates 9.8 N of
force on each kilogram of mass.
• With gravity, the strength of the field is in newtons per
kilogram (N/kg) because the field describes the amount of
force per kilogram of mass.

10. Electric fields and electric force
• With the electric field, the strength is in newtons per coulomb
(N/C).
• The electric field describes the amount of force per coulomb
of charge.

12. Electric Fields and Sharks