I keep getting “Electric field” questions wrong in Electrostatics. What's the trap?
treating field (a vector) and potential (a scalar) as the same thing.
The usual trap: treating field (a vector) and potential (a scalar) as the same thing. How to avoid it: field lines never cross and start on + and end on − charges. Go back to the definition — the force per unit positive charge, E = F/q; field lines point away from positive charges.
Key point
Electric field
Common mistake
treating field (a vector) and potential (a scalar) as the same thing.
Memory tip
field lines never cross and start on + and end on − charges.
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