Question

An electrostatic field line is continuous curve. That is, a field line cannot have sudden breaks. Why not?

• A. Electric field vanishes only at the origin
• B. Electric field vanishes only at infinity
• C. Electric field never vanishes
• D. Electric field is imaginary at some points

Answer 1

The correct option is B Electric field vanishes only at infinity

The direction of tangent at any point in a field shows the direction of field at that point.

At sudden breaks, we can draw infinite tangents and hence infinitely many directions of field at that point which is not possible since electric field lines show the direction of net field and hence have unique direction.

Hence, electric field line can not vanish suddenly and vanishes only at infinity.

Answer-(B)