What is meant by the statement that the electric field of a point charge has spherical symmetry whereas that of an electric dipole is cylindrically symmetric?

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Solution

Due to point charge electric field produced is spherical means at every point which is equidistance from the centre (point charge) the magnitude of electric field will be equal.

Due to dipole electric field is formed cylindrical. Electric field lines coming from positive charge will bend towards negative charge hence cylindrical shape is formed.It means that electric field due to electric dipole will be same at every point on the surface of a right circular cylinder imagined with the electric dipole as the axis.

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