Question

What is the relationship between the terms “field” and “force”? What are their units?

Short answer

The relation between field and the force is$\stackrel{\rightharpoonup }{E}=\frac{\stackrel{\rightharpoonup }{F}}{q}$ unit of electric field is NC^-1.

Step-by-step solution

About electric field and electric force

The electric field of a charge is space around a charge up to where its influence is felt. It is represented with $\stackrel{\rightharpoonup }{E}$.

Electric force is defined as the pull or push that an electric charge will experience.

The attractive or repulsive force between the two charges is represented by $\stackrel{\rightharpoonup }{F}$.

Relation between electric field and electric force

The relationship between the electric field and the electric force is given by $\stackrel{\mathbf{\rightharpoonup }}{\mathbf{E}}\mathbf{=}\frac{\stackrel{\mathbf{\rightharpoonup }}{\mathbf{F}}}{\mathbf{q}}$.

The unit for electric force is Newton and it is represented by symbol N.

The unit for charge is coulomb and it is represented by symbol C.

On substituting the units into the relation between electric field and electric force it is concluded that the unit for electric field is Newton per coulomb $\frac{N}{C}$ or NC^-1

Therefore, the relation is $\stackrel{\rightharpoonup }{E}=\frac{\stackrel{\rightharpoonup }{F}}{q}$and unit of electric field is NC^-1.