Engineering Physics

Study Notes

Electric Field Definition and Direction

An electric field is mathematically defined as a vector field around a charged object, indicating the force per unit charge experienced by a positive test charge placed in the field.
The direction of the electric field is radial and points away from a positive charge, indicating the direction a positive test charge would move.

Historical Contributions

Samuel Morse is credited with building the first electric telegraph in 1833, paving the way for modern communication methods.
Carl Friedrich Gauss made significant contributions to mathematics, particularly in statistics, number theory, and theoretical physics.
Gauss formulated Gauss's Law, which relates the electric field to the distribution of electric charge, expressing that the total electric flux through a closed surface is proportional to the enclosed electric charge.

Gauss's Law for Electric Field

Gauss's Law describes how the electric field behaves in relation to charge distributions, stating that the flux of the electric field through a closed surface equals the charge enclosed divided by the electric constant (ε₀).
This law is useful for calculating electric fields around symmetric charge distributions.

Additional Contributions of Gauss

In 1833, Gauss constructed the first electrical telegraph system, marking a milestone in electrical engineering.

Charge Producing Electric Fields

A source charge (Q), such as a point charge, generates an electric field that extends infinitely into space, affecting the surrounding area.

Description

Test your understanding of electromagnetic waves, electric and magnetic fields, and the mathematical definition of electric fields with this introductory engineering physics quiz. Review the fundamental concepts and principles of electromagnetism to solidify your knowledge in this module.