Question

Electric fields and potentials a-d.

Questions: a. Do any field lines cross one another? Why, or why not? b. Do any equipotentials cross one another? Why, or why not? c. At what angle do the equipotentials intersect the edge of the conduction paper? Why? Hint: The flow of electric current at any point is parallel to and directly proportional to the electric field vector. d. Where is the field the strongest?

Answer 1

A) Field lines never cross each other.If the lines cross each other at a given location, then there must be two distinctly different values of electric field with their own individual direction at that given location. This could never be the case. Every single location in space has its own electric field strength and direction associated with it. Consequently, the lines representing the field cannot cross each other at any given location in space.

B)Electric field lines cannot cross. If they did, they would be telling you that the force on a charge at that location would point in two different directions, which does not make any sense at all. Equipotential lines at different potentials can never cross either. This is because they are, by definition, a line of constant potential. The equipotential at a given point in space can only have a single value. If lines for two different values of the potential were to cross, then they would no longer represent equipotential lines. Note: It is possible for two lines representing the same potential to cross.

C)90 degree ,This is because,when the potential becomes constant,the negative potential gradient also becomes zero,hence necessitating the need for Electric field to be always normal with surface.

D)The field is strongest where no of electric field lines in a small area is maximum. By gauss law.