In a uniform electric field, the equipotential surfaces are always:
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
In a uniform electric field, the equipotential surfaces are always:
Perpendicular to the field lines
Parallel to the field lines
Curved
None of the above
Equipotential surfaces are always perpendicular to electric field lines.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: In a uniform electric field, the equipotential surfaces are always:
Solution: Equipotential surfaces are always perpendicular to electric field lines.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand what an electric field is. It is a region around a charged object where other charged objects experience a force.
Step 2: Know what equipotential surfaces are. These are surfaces where the electric potential is the same at every point.
Step 3: Realize that electric field lines show the direction of the force on a positive charge in the field.
Step 4: Remember that equipotential surfaces cannot have any electric field lines crossing them. If they did, it would mean there is a change in potential, which contradicts the definition of equipotential surfaces.
Step 5: Conclude that since equipotential surfaces are always at the same potential, they must be perpendicular to the electric field lines.
