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Electric Field Magnitude Formula:
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The magnitude of an electric field represents the strength of the electric force per unit charge at a point in space. It describes how strongly a charged particle would be affected by the electric field at that location.
The calculator uses the electric field magnitude formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the electric field strength produced by a point charge at a specific distance, following Coulomb's law principles.
Details: Calculating electric field magnitude is essential for understanding electromagnetic phenomena, designing electrical systems, and analyzing charged particle behavior in various fields including electronics, physics research, and engineering applications.
Tips: Enter Coulomb's constant in N·m²/C², charge in Coulombs, and distance in meters. All values must be positive and non-zero for accurate calculation.
Q1: What is Coulomb's constant?
A: Coulomb's constant (k) is approximately 8.99 × 10⁹ N·m²/C² and represents the proportionality constant in Coulomb's law.
Q2: Does the formula work for negative charges?
A: Yes, but the electric field direction would be opposite. The magnitude calculation remains the same regardless of charge sign.
Q3: What are typical electric field magnitudes?
A: Electric fields range from very weak (a few N/C) to extremely strong (millions of N/C) depending on the charge and distance.
Q4: When is this formula not applicable?
A: This formula is for point charges. For continuous charge distributions or complex geometries, integration or more advanced methods are needed.
Q5: How does distance affect electric field strength?
A: Electric field strength decreases with the square of the distance from the source charge (inverse square law relationship).