What is the unit of electric field in the International System of Units (SI)?
Volt (V)
Newton per Coulomb (N/C)
Joule (J)
Coulomb (C)
The electric field is a fundamental concept in physics, specifically in electromagnetism. It describes the force field surrounding electric charges, and it influences other charges within this field. To understand and quantify the electric field, we use specific units. The primary unit of the electric field is the volt per meter (V/m).
The electric field is a fundamental aspect of electromagnetism, describing how electric charges exert forces on each other. To accurately measure the electric field, we use the International System of Units (SI), which designates volt per meter (V/m) as the standard unit.
In the Centimeter –Gram–Second(CGS) system, a different unit is used to measure the electric field compared to the SI system. The CGS unit for electric field is the statvolt per centimeter (statV/cm).
The formula for the electric field (E) is given by:
This formula calculates the electric field strength at a point, expressed in newtons per coulomb (N/C) or volts per meter (V/m).
Unit | Symbol |
---|---|
Volt per meter | V/m |
Newton per coulomb | N/C |
Statvolt per centimeter | statV/cm |
The volt per meter is the SI unit of electric field strength. It represents the force of one newton per coulomb of charge that is exerted at a distance of one meter from the source of the charge. This unit is universally used in science and engineering to describe the intensity of an electric field.
The newton per coulomb is another expression for the electric field, directly relating the force exerted per unit charge. It is equivalent to one volt per meter, providing a clear measurement of how much electric force is applied per unit charge by an electric field.
The statvolt per centimeter is the CGS unit of electric field strength. It measures the electric field in the centimeter-gram-second system, where it quantifies the force exerted in statvolts (a CGS unit of electric potential) per centimeter. This unit is mainly used in physics and scientific research that employs the CGS system, providing an alternative to the more common SI units.
Unit | Volt per meter (V/m) | Newton per coulomb (N/C) | Statvolt per centimeter (statV/cm) |
---|---|---|---|
Volt per meter (V/m) | 1 V/m | 1 N/C | Approx. 299.792 statV/cm |
Newton per coulomb (N/C) | 1 V/m | 1 N/C | Approx. 299.792 statV/cm |
Statvolt per centimeter (statV/cm) | Approx. 0.00334 V/m | Approx. 0.00334 N/C | 1 statV/cm |
Units used to measure the electric field include the volt per meter (V/m) and the newton per coulomb (N/C), which directly quantify the field’s strength.
There seems to be a misunderstanding; there is no “ESA” unit of electric field. The standard unit is volt per meter (V/m).
In physics, the unit of the electric field (E) is commonly expressed as volt per meter (V/m), which measures the force exerted per unit charge.
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What is the unit of electric field in the International System of Units (SI)?
Volt (V)
Newton per Coulomb (N/C)
Joule (J)
Coulomb (C)
Which unit can also represent the electric field?
Volt per meter (V/m)
Coulomb per meter (C/m)
Joule per Coulomb (J/C)
Newton per meter (N/m)
In a uniform electric field, what is the unit of electric potential difference?
Newton (N)
Coulomb (C)
Volt (V)
Joule (J)
The electric field intensity at a point is measured in which unit?
Newton (N)
Volt (V)
Joule (J)
Newton per Coulomb (N/C)
Electric field lines point in which direction relative to a positive charge?
Towards the positive charge
Away from the positive charge
Perpendicular to the charge
Randomly
Electric field lines point in which direction relative to a negative charge?
Towards the negative charge
Away from the negative charge
Perpendicular to the charge
Randomly
Which quantity describes the strength and direction of the electric field?
Electric potential
Electric field vector
Electric current
Electric charge
In what units is electric flux measured?
Volt-second (Vs)
Newton-meter squared per Coulomb (N·m²/C)
Joule per Coulomb (J/C)
Coulomb per meter (C/m)
How is the unit of electric field related to the unit of electric potential?
N/C = J/V
N/C = V/m
N/C = V·m
N/C = C/m
What is the electric field strength at a point in space where the force on a 1 C charge is 5 N?
0.2 N/C
5 N/C
10 N/C
15 N/C
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