1. What is Electric Field Strength?

Electric field strength (E) is a measure of the electric force per unit charge experienced by a small test charge placed in the field. It's a vector quantity with both magnitude and direction, measured in newtons per coulomb (N/C).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Coulomb's Law for electric field:

Where:

• \( E \) — Electric field strength (N/C)
• \( k \) — Coulomb's constant (8.99×10⁹ N·m²/C²)
• \( Q \) — Source charge (Coulombs)
• \( r \) — Distance from the charge (meters)

Explanation: The equation shows that electric field strength is directly proportional to the source charge and inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the charge.

3. Importance of Electric Field Calculation

Details: Calculating electric field strength is fundamental in electromagnetism, helping design electrical systems, understand particle behavior, and analyze forces in charged environments.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter charge in coulombs and distance in meters. Both values must be positive numbers (distance must be greater than zero).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is Coulomb's constant?
A: Coulomb's constant (k) is approximately 8.99×10⁹ N·m²/C² and relates the electrostatic force between charges to their magnitudes and separation distance.

Q2: Does this work for point charges only?
A: This equation is exact for point charges. For extended charge distributions, integration or more complex methods are needed.

Q3: What is the direction of the electric field?
A: For positive charges, the field points radially outward; for negative charges, it points radially inward.

Q4: How does distance affect electric field strength?
A: Field strength decreases with the square of the distance from the charge (inverse square law).

Q5: What are typical electric field strengths?
A: Near a 1 μC charge at 1 m distance: ~9000 N/C. Atmospheric electric field is ~100-200 N/C downward.