Question

Is an electric field scalar or vector?

Answer 1

An electric field is a vector quantity. It has both magnitude and direction, which are essential for describing how it influences the force on a charged particle. The electric field at any point in space can be visualized as a vector arrow pointing in the direction of the force a positive test charge would experience if placed at that point.

Answer 2

An electric field is a vector quantity. This means it has both a magnitude and a direction.

Here's a bit more detail:

1. **Magnitude**: This tells you how strong the electric field is at a given point. It is measured in volts per meter (V/m).

2. **Direction**: This tells you which way the electric field points. The direction of the electric field is defined as the direction in which a positive test charge would be pushed by the field.

Mathematically, the electric field **E** is defined by the force **F** exerted on a positive test charge **q** divided by the magnitude of that charge:

\[ \mathbf{E} = \frac{\mathbf{F}}{q} \]

The direction of the electric field is away from positive charges and towards negative charges. If you have a positive source charge, the electric field vectors point radially outward from the charge. If the source charge is negative, the vectors point radially inward.

In summary, because it has both magnitude and direction, the electric field is a vector quantity.