Electric Charges and Fields

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The electric field E at a point is defined as the electric force F experienced by a positive test charge q₀ placed at that point divided by the magnitude of the test charge

The electric field E is a vector quantity and has the same direction as the electric force F. The electric field is due to an external charge and not due to the
test charge.

Superposition principle will use determine electric field at a point P. According to the superposition principle, the total electric field at a point in space is equal to the vector sum of individual fields present.

The electric field at a point due to a system of charges is the vector sum of the electric fields at the point due to individual charges.

1. The electric field is an elegant way of characterising the electrical environment of a system of charges.
2. The electric field is a characteristic of the system of charges and is independent of the test charge that you place at a point to determine the field.