1. What is Electric Field?

The electric field is a vector field that surrounds electric charges and represents the force that would be exerted on other charges in the field. It's measured in volts per meter (V/m) or newtons per coulomb (N/C).

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Coulomb's Law for electric fields:

Where:

• \( E \) — Electric field (V/m)
• \( k \) — Coulomb's constant (9 × 10⁹ N·m²/C²)
• \( Q \) — Charge (Coulombs)
• \( r \) — Distance from charge (meters)

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

3. Importance of Electric Field Calculation

Details: Calculating electric fields is essential in electrical engineering, physics, and electronics design. It helps determine forces on charges, design capacitors, and analyze electromagnetic systems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter charge in Coulombs (can be in scientific notation like 1.6e-19 for electron charge) and distance in meters. Both values must be positive.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is Coulomb's constant (k)?
A: It's approximately 9 × 10⁹ N·m²/C² and represents the proportionality constant in Coulomb's Law.

Q2: Does this work for point charges only?
A: This calculator is for point charges. For continuous charge distributions, integration is required.

Q3: What's the direction of the electric field?
A: For positive charges, the field points away from the charge. For negative charges, it points toward the charge.

Q4: How does electric field relate to force?
A: Force on a test charge q in an electric field E is given by F = qE.

Q5: What are typical electric field values?
A: Near a 1μC charge at 1m distance, the field is about 9000 V/m. Atmospheric fields are typically 100-200 V/m.