Difference Between Electric Field and Magnetic Field

Difference between Electric and Magnetic fields can be understood by the nature of the moving charges in any material. Electric and magnetic fields are represented in two dimensions using field lines. The densities of these field lines are indicative of the strength of the field at a particular point. The denser the field lines, the stronger the field. To model the unique aspects of each force, the conventions show how electric, and magnetic field lines are all slightly different.

Read More: Current Electricity

Key Terms: Electric Field, Magnetic Field, Electric Charge, Coulomb, Vector, Field Lines, Work, Current Electricity, Dimension, Electricity

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Difference between Electric Field & Magnetic Field

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Electric and magnetic fields are interrelated but not dependent on one another. The following table summarises the key differences between the electric and magnetic fields. 

Magnetic Field vs Electric Field

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What is Electric Field?

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Electric field or electric field intensity refers to the force that surrounds an electrically charged particle. It can also be referred to as an area where the lines of force exist. These lines of force surround the electric field and are imaginary lines used to define the area of influence around the electric charge.

• It is a vector quantity since it has both direction and magnitude.
• The symbol for electric field is E and the unit of measuring it is Newton/Coulomb.
• The electric field E is produced by the charge Q which is the source of the field where,

E = \(\frac{Q {r^*}}{(4\pi \in 0 )r2}\)

where r* is the unit vector along the direction r, and the field E is a vector field. A charge q interacts with this field and experiences a force F given by F = q ^E = q Q r* / (4πε0 ) r2

Electric Field

Also Read: Difference between Electric & Magnetic Field -Important Questions

Properties of Electric Field

Electric fields arise from electric charges and changing magnetic fields. An electric charge, or a collection of charges, will have an associated electric field. Any charged object that is placed in this field will experience an electrostatic force as the field interacts with the charge of the object. 

• Field lines represent the force a positively charged particle would experience if it were in the field at that point.
• A changing magnetic field can also cause electric charges to move. 
• This phenomenon is generally used in electric generators to induce electric currents in wires. 
• The induced current can be enhanced by causing larger changes in the magnetic field or by coiling the wire. 
• This is done so that more wire is affected by the changing magnetic field.

The direction of Electric Field

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What is a Magnetic Field?

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Magnetic field refers to the area around the magnet where the attractive and repulsive forces are exhibited by the poles of the magnet. When electric charges move across an electrical conductor or space, due to the motion, a magnetic field is induced. It arises from permanent magnets and electric charges in motion.

It is denoted by B (r). It is also a vector field and has several basic properties that are identical to the electric field. It is defined at each point in space and in addition, can also depend on time.

Magnetic Field

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Things to Remember

• Work is done by the field when a particle enters its field of force or influence.
• The force between the charges is the same.
• A positive electron repels another positive electron but attracts a negative electron. 
• There are two types of charges present in an electric field. 
• The positive charge is known as the positron and the negative charge is called the electron.

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