Question

(a) What do you understand by the term electric lines of force.

(b) State the properties of electric lines of force.

Answer 1

(a) Electric lines of force:

Electrical lines of force can be described as a way or path, it can be straight or curved so that the tangent gives the direction of the intensity of the electric field at that point at any point.

(b) Properties of electric lines of force:

1. The electric field lines originate from a positive charge and terminate at the negative charge.
2. Two electric field lines never intersect each other because in such a case two tangents can be drawn on an intersection point which will show the two directions at the same point which is impossible.
3. The number of electric field lines terminating or originating from the charge is directly proportional to the magnitude of the charge.
4. The electric field lines are always perpendicular to the surface of the charged body.