Question
Question: What direction does electric field lines point to?...
What direction does electric field lines point to?
Solution
Electric field lines are the imaginary lines or curves drawn to help visualize an electric field better. We can start by defining what electric field lines are and slowly moving to defining an electric field and then defining what an electric field is. We can then discuss how they are produced and thus leading us to our required answer.
Complete step by step answer:
Electric field lines are the imaginary lines or curves drawn to help us visualize an electric field better. The use of these electric field lines helps us understand the concept of electric field better. Electric field is the physical field that surrounds every charged particle like electrons or protons or any charged particle.
This field has an effect on every other charged particle placed near it. This leads us to the conclusion that electric fields are created due to the presence of charges. The direction of the electric field is in the opposite direction of that of electrons. Electrons are negatively charged particles and they travel from negative to positive so the direction of the electric field is from positive to negative.
In conclusion, electric field lines travel from positive to negative charge.
Note: Electric field lines are often confused with the electric potential lines. Just like electric field lines, the electric potential lines are an imaginary line used to help us visualize the electric potential and equipotential surfaces. Equipotential surfaces are those surfaces having equal or constant potential or constant potential difference. These electric potential lines are perpendicular to the electric field lines.