1 Answer
Yes, the electric field strength can be zero in certain situations.
In other words, while the electric field is not zero everywhere, there are specific locations or conditions (like symmetry or canceling fields) where it can be zero.
- In the middle of two opposite charges: If you have two equal and opposite point charges placed symmetrically, the electric fields from each charge at the midpoint between them can cancel each other out. In this case, the electric field at the exact center of the line joining the two charges will be zero.
- At specific points in complex charge distributions: In systems with more than one charge, there might be points where the electric fields from all the charges cancel out, resulting in a net electric field of zero. This could happen, for example, in a configuration like a dipole or a more complex arrangement of charges.
- Outside a spherical charge distribution (like a uniformly charged sphere): According to Gauss's Law, outside a spherical charge distribution, the electric field behaves like the field of a point charge located at the center of the sphere. However, if the sphere has no charge, there will be no electric field at any point outside the sphere.
In other words, while the electric field is not zero everywhere, there are specific locations or conditions (like symmetry or canceling fields) where it can be zero.