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Interactive Syllabus Extract for

Fields Section 3.7.1

Section 3.7.1 Fields

3.7.1 Concept of a force field

Concept of a force field as a region in which a body experiences a non-contact force.

Students should recognise that a force field can be represented as a vector, the direction of which must be determined by inspection. Force fields arise from the interaction of mass, of static charge, and between moving charges.

 

 

Revise the basic idea of what a force is.

 
Similarities and differences between gravitational and electrostatic forces:

Similarities: Both have inverse-square force laws that have many characteristics in common, eg use of field lines, use of potential concept, equipotential surfaces etc

Differences: masses always attract, but charges may attract or repel