Hi guys...

Electric Flux, to my understanding, is the a measure of the number of Electric Field Lines that pass through a defined area ( or in other words, the integral of E dot DA )

Now.. aren't Electric Field Lines simply a means by which we can illustrate an Electric Field? Couldn't we draw an infinity of electric field lines? Aren't there an infinity of field lines emitting from a charge source?

Thanks Guys

 

Now.. aren't Electric Field Lines simply a means by which we can illustrate an Electric Field? Couldn't we draw an infinity of electric field lines? Aren't there an infinity of field lines emitting from a charge source?
Thanks Guys

Yes, you are right that there are infinity field lines. Field lines is just a way to represent the intensity of the field and the orbit a positive dimensionless charge will follow if left free in the field.

 

..so if there is an infinity of field lines, doesn't the Electric Flux then become infinite? Isn't that related to the number of field lines that pass through an area? If there are an infinity of them................ ?

Thanks

 

..so if there is an infinity of field lines, doesn't the Electric Flux then become infinite? Isn't that related to the number of field lines that pass through an area? If there are an infinity of them................ ?

Thanks

Field line density is just a way of visualizing the intensity of an electric field. Field lines from what ive gathered are primarily used to indicate the direction of the field; using it for any measure of intensity is really just silly. With the concept you are stuck on, increasing the number of field lines that you are visualizing will only decrease the intensity per line, making it such that the flux in a certain area will remain the same. infinite lines means (sortof) an infinitesimal intensity per line.

 

Hi guys...

Electric Flux, to my understanding, is the a measure of the number of Electric Field Lines that pass through a defined area ( or in other words, the integral of E dot DA )

Now.. aren't Electric Field Lines simply a means by which we can illustrate an Electric Field? Couldn't we draw an infinity of electric field lines? Aren't there an infinity of field lines emitting from a charge source?

Thanks Guys

The direction of the field lines indicates the direction of the vector field. The density of the lines indicates the magnitude of the field. So no, you cannot simply draw more lines in one area without scaling up the line density everywhere.

 

Field line density is just a way of visualizing the intensity of an electric field. Field lines from what ive gathered are primarily used to indicate the direction of the field; using it for any measure of intensity is really just silly. With the concept you are stuck on, increasing the number of field lines that you are visualizing will only decrease the intensity per line, making it such that the flux in a certain area will remain the same. infinite lines means (sortof) an infinitesimal intensity per line.

You are right about that. I meant that the filed exists everywhere and not just where a field line shows.

 

I would think that you could imagine that there would be one field line per pair of the separated charges that are producing the field. So while there may be a large number, it wouldn't be infinite.

 

The density of drawn lines is just a convention addopted by the drawer of the diagram, or an agreement to call a field intensity of some particular strength one line. Do not think of one line per charge, it would be very misleading.