Question

Physics Lab: Electric Potential and Field Plotting

1. What is an electric field?

2. What is the significance of electric field lines being close together in some areas and far apart in others?

3. Explain why electric fields must be at right angles to equipotential lines.

I know this is three questions in one, any help is appreciated.

Answer 1

1.) Electric field at given point is the force experienced per unit test charge kept at that point.

2). If number of electric field lines are more dense in certain region then electric flux is more in that region or strength of electric field is more in that region when compared to less dense region of electric field lines.

3). Equipotential lines are those where potential remains constant at all the points on the line. If electric field is uniform in a region then potential decreases in the direction of field. So to have potential constant at all the points, the lines should be perpendicular to the electric field lines.