Compare and contrast the Coulomb force field and the electric field. To do this, make a list of five properties for the Coulomb force field analogous to the five properties listed for electric field lines. Compare each item in your list of Coulomb force field properties with those of the electric field—are they the same or different? (For example, electric field lines cannot cross. Is the same true for Coulomb field lines?)

Electric field lines are the imaginary lines around the charged particles which gives the direction of electric field at a point in space. The electric field lines for a positive point charge are always directed away from the charge while the electric field lines for a negative point charge are always directed towards the charge.

The similarities between Coulomb force field and electric field are:

• The Coulombs force field lines and electric field never cross each other.
• The closeness of the Coulomb force field lines and electric field lines determines the strength of the field.
• The strength of Coulombs force field and electric field depends on the separation between the two points where charges are kept.

The electric field lines originate from the positive charges and terminates at negative charges, this is similar to that of the Coulomb force field lines.

The difference between the two fields are:

• The magnitude of Coulomb force field depends on the value of charge placed at the point where force needs to be calculated. On the other hand, electric field is independent of it.