Electric field facts for kids

An electric field is like an invisible area around an object that has an electric charge. Imagine it as a special zone where other charged objects will feel a push or a pull. If you put a tiny positively charged particle into this field, it will move in a certain direction. That direction shows you where the electric field is pointing.

The idea of an electric field was first thought up by a famous scientist named Michael Faraday.

What is an Electric Field?

An electric field is a vector field. This means it has both a strength and a direction at every point in space. Think of it like wind: it has a speed (strength) and blows in a certain direction. An electric field tells you how strong the push or pull will be on a charged particle and in which way it will move.

If a particle has an electric charge, the electric field will put a force on it. The stronger the electric field, the stronger the force on the charged particle.

How are Electric Fields Made?

Electric fields are created in two main ways:

• Around objects that have an electric charge. For example, when you rub a balloon on your hair, it gets a charge and creates an electric field around it.
• By a magnetic field that is changing over time. This is how some generators work to create electricity.

Scientists use lines to draw and show the influence of an electric field. These are called electric field lines.

Electric Fields and Other Forces

Electric fields are closely related to magnetic fields. These two types of fields are described by a set of important rules called Maxwell's equations. These equations show how electric fields and magnetic fields are connected and how they are affected by charges and electric currents.

For example, Gauss's law helps us understand how electric charges create electric fields. And Faraday's law of induction explains how a changing magnetic field can create an electric field. Together, these laws help us understand how electricity and magnetism work hand-in-hand.

Images for kids

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  You can see an electric field at work when styrofoam peanuts stick to a cat's fur. This happens because of static electricity. The cat's movements cause a charge to build up on its fur. This charge creates an electric field that pulls the light styrofoam pieces towards the fur.

See also

In Spanish: Campo eléctrico para niños