The electric field (E) represents the force that a charge experiences in a region due to other electric charges. It is a vector quantity, which means it has both magnitude and direction. An important equation for electric fields with uniform surface charge density is given by: This equation indicates that the electric field is directly proportional to the charge density on the surface and inversely proportional to the permittivity of free space. In our exercise, this formula is used to find the magnitude of the electric field within the cell wall, exhibiting a parallel layer of negative and positive charges.
- The electric field points from the positive to the negative charge.
- Higher charge density results in a stronger electric field.
Understanding how electric fields operate between different charges helps explain how ions move across cell membranes in biological systems.