The direction of an electric field is defined as the direction of force on
A)a positively-charged particle.
B)a negatively-charged particle.
C)any charged particle.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The direction of an electric field is defined as the direction of force on a positively-charged particle. This is because electric fields are defined in terms of their effect on charged particles, and the direction of the force on a positively-charged particle is always parallel to the direction of the electric field.

While electric fields also affect negatively-charged particles and any charged particle, the direction of the force on these particles will be opposite to the direction of the electric field (due to the negative charge on the electron). Therefore, the direction of the electric field is not defined by the force on these particles.

The Direction of an Electric Field Is Defined as the Direction