Question

What is the derived unit of electric field strength?

Answer 1

The derived unit of electric field strength is volts per meter (V/m). It represents the force per unit charge exerted on a charged particle in an electric field. Specifically, it indicates how much voltage exists over a certain distance, ultimately reflecting the intensity of the electric field. Would you like to delve deeper into its applications or calculations?

Answer 2

The electric field strength (often just called the electric field) is a fundamental concept in electromagnetism and is defined as the force per unit charge exerted on a test charge placed in the field. To find its derived unit, we need to express it in terms of the basic units of measurement.

The electric field strength \( E \) is given by the formula:

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

where \( F \) is the force experienced by the test charge and \( q \) is the magnitude of the test charge.

In the International System of Units (SI):
- Force \( F \) is measured in newtons (N).
- Charge \( q \) is measured in coulombs (C).

So, the unit of electric field strength can be derived from the unit of force divided by the unit of charge:

\[ \text{Unit of } E = \frac{\text{Unit of } F}{\text{Unit of } q} = \frac{\text{N}}{\text{C}} \]

Thus, the derived unit of electric field strength is newtons per coulomb (N/C).

This unit signifies that an electric field exerts a force of one newton on a charge of one coulomb.