Electric charge and field

Electric charge and electric field are fundamental concepts in physics that describe the interaction of charged particles and the electric forces acting between them.

Electric charge is an intrinsic property of subatomic particles, such as electrons and protons. Charges can be positive (protons) or negative (electrons). Particles with equal charges repel each other, while particles with opposite charges attract each other. In the International System of Units, the unit of electric charge is called the coulomb (or coulomb, symbol C).

The electric field is the region of space surrounding an electric charge where an electric force is exerted on other charges. The electric field is represented by field lines, which are imaginary lines that indicate the direction and strength of the electric field at each point. The intensity of the electric field is measured in units of force per charge, therefore in the International System it is measured in newtons per coulomb (N/C). The calculation of the electric field at a given point is done by applying Coulomb’s law, which states that the field is proportional to the magnitude of the charge that generates it and decreases as the distance increases.

The electric field has numerous applications in everyday life and technology. For example, it is used in touch screens, in the charging of electronic devices, in the acceleration of particles in particle accelerators and in the generation of energy through the interaction of electric and magnetic fields in electric generators.