1 Answer
Electric field intensity itself is not inherently "positive" or "negative." It’s a vector quantity, meaning it has both magnitude and direction.
- **Magnitude**: The magnitude of the electric field is always a positive value (since it is the strength of the field and can't be negative).
- **Direction**: The direction of the electric field is what can be "positive" or "negative," depending on your point of view.
For example:
- The electric field **points away** from a positive charge (considered the positive direction).
- The electric field **points towards** a negative charge (considered the negative direction).
If you have a specific coordinate system or reference point, the electric field can be described with a negative or positive value, depending on its direction. But in terms of magnitude, it is always positive.
In summary, while the direction of the electric field can be described as negative or positive in a given coordinate system, the magnitude of the electric field itself is always positive.
- **Magnitude**: The magnitude of the electric field is always a positive value (since it is the strength of the field and can't be negative).
- **Direction**: The direction of the electric field is what can be "positive" or "negative," depending on your point of view.
For example:
- The electric field **points away** from a positive charge (considered the positive direction).
- The electric field **points towards** a negative charge (considered the negative direction).
If you have a specific coordinate system or reference point, the electric field can be described with a negative or positive value, depending on its direction. But in terms of magnitude, it is always positive.
In summary, while the direction of the electric field can be described as negative or positive in a given coordinate system, the magnitude of the electric field itself is always positive.