Electric Fields

• What does any charged object have around it?

  Its own electric field
• How do electric fields compare to gravitational and magnetic fields?

  They are similar areas of influence
• What happens when you have a positive and a negative charged particle?

  They attract each other
• How are electric fields represented in physics?

  With field lines that have arrows
• In which direction do electric field lines point?

  From positive to negative
• How should field lines be drawn in relation to surfaces?

  At right angles to the surface
• How many field lines should be shown in an exam drawing?

  At least eight
• Where is the strength of the electric field strongest?

  Close to the charged particle
• What happens to electric fields as charged particles get closer together?

  They interact more strongly
• What is the force between oppositely charged particles called?

  Electrostatic attraction
• What do field lines indicate between a positive and negative particle?

  Attractive force between them
• What happens when two particles have the same charge?

  They repel each other
• What is the effect of a strong electric field on nearby air particles?

  It can cause ionization
• What is air considered in its normal state regarding electricity?

  An electrical insulator
• What occurs during the ionization process in air particles?

  They lose electrons and become positive ions
• How can sparks travel through the air?

  Through ionized air conducting electricity
• What are the key characteristics of electric fields around charged particles?

  • Present around any charged object
  • Represented by field lines with arrows
  • Strongest near the charged particle
  • Direction of lines: positive to negative
  • Interact more as particles get closer
• What are the effects of different charge interactions between particles?

  • Opposite charges attract (electrostatic attraction)
  • Like charges repel (electrostatic repulsion)
  • Strong electric fields can ionize air
• What is the process of ionization in air due to strong electric fields?

  • Air particles lose electrons
  • Become positive ions
  • Allow conduction of electricity