Lines of force

Electrostatic fields are visualized by drawing lines of force. Lines of force are imaginary lines drawn in such a way that their direction at any point is the same as that of the vector of electric intensity at that point of the field. The lines of force of an electrostatic field are open curves.

Electric intensity

The electric intensity at any point of the field is numerically equal to, and coincides in direction with, the force exerted by the field on a unit positive test point charge placed at this point.The electrostatic field intensity is independent of time. An electrostatic field is set to be uniform if its intensity E is the same at all the points of the field. If not, it is said to be non uniform.

Force characterestic of electric field

The force characteristic of an electric field is the vector of its intensity given by E=(F/q0). Here F is the force exerted by the field on a stationary test charge q0 placed at the point of the field being considered. It is assumed that the test point charge is sufficiently small so that it does not distort the field whose intensity is to be measured.

Electrostatic field

Interaction between fixed electrically charged particles or bodies is accomplished through an electrostatic field. An electrostatic field is a steady state electric field, which does one that does not change in time, set up by fixed charges. It is a special case of an electromagnetic field by means of which interaction is generally accomplished between electrically charged particles.

Short range force action

According to the theory of short range force action, interaction between particles of matter and between macroscopic bodies located at some distance from each other is accomplished by means of physical fields which are set up by these particles or bodies in the surrounding space. The fields are no less material than their sources- the particles and bodies.

Electrostriction

The reduction of force F12 to (1/Ke) of its initial value in a vacuum is associated with the phenomenon known as electrostriction which is the deformation of the dielectric under the influence of the electric field. In their deformation, liquid and gaseous dielectrics since they are directly adjacent to the charged bodies , exert an additional mechanical action on those bodies.