Why Do Electric Field Lines Point Away From Positive Charges And Toward Negative Charges?

Figure 18.24 provides a visual representation of electric field lines surrounding a negative charge, denoted as -q. These field lines display a distinctive pattern, with their direction being radially inward. This inward orientation is a consequence of the fundamental principle that electric field lines depict the direction in which a positive test charge would move when subjected to an electric field. In the case of a negative charge, these lines point inward because they represent the attractive force experienced by a positive test charge in the vicinity of the negative charge. This phenomenon clarifies why electric field lines converge towards negative charges.

Why do electric field lines emanate from a positive charge? Electric field lines illustrate the direction and strength of the electric field surrounding a charged object. When a positive charge is brought close to another positive charge, they repel each other due to the fundamental principle that like charges repel. This repulsion causes the electric field lines to extend outward from the positive charge. Conversely, when a negative charge approaches a positive charge, they are attracted to each other because opposite charges attract. This attraction results in the electric field lines converging inward toward the positive charge. In summary, the direction of electric field lines from a positive charge depends on the interactions between charges, with outward lines representing repulsion between positive charges and inward lines indicating attraction between positive and negative charges.