Exam-style question
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A field-line diagram shows closely spaced lines near a positive charge and more widely spaced lines further away. What does this indicate about the electric field strength in these regions?.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The electric field strength is stronger near the positive charge where the field lines are closely spaced, and weaker further away where the lines are more widely spaced.
Explanation
Why this works
The evidence from the field-line diagram indicates that the density of the lines represents the strength of the electric field. Since the lines are closer together near the charge, it shows a stronger field, while the wider spacing indicates a weaker field.
This implies that the force experienced by a charge in the field will vary with distance from the source charge. Therefore, we conclude that electric field strength decreases with distance from the charge.
Common mistake
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