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electrostatic field

electrostatic field

1 7.4
An area around electric charges that pushes or pulls other charges
  • noun
  • /ɪˌlɛk.trəʊˈstæt.ɪk fiːld/
  • Specialized
translation icon : campo electrostático
  • Indeed, one of Thomson's major contributions was his recognition that a good vacuum is required to produce an electrostatic field inside the tube, a field that can deflect the electrons making up the cathode ray.

Examples

  • An electrostatic field surrounds any charged object, influencing nearby charges.

  • One popular method is to use electrostatic fields to move capacitor plates and beams relative to each other.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Electrostatic fields are generated through the transmission of electricity from a 110-volt supply line.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Conduction currents are driven by the large electrostatic fields generated by the charged clouds.

    Academic text (1998)
  • And if I bring it close to the generator, you see them jumping, they jump onto the generator as the electrostatic field grabs hold of them.

  • Several experiments, in particular that of Heinrich Hertz, had failed to observe the deflection of cathode rays by an electrostatic field.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The researcher measured the strength of the electrostatic field produced by the charged plates.

  • Dust particles can be attracted to surfaces through an electrostatic field generated by static electricity.

Synonyms

force field
vselectrostatic field
  • Specialized
18 6.3

An area around an object where it pushes or pulls other objects

applies only to static charges and not to all force types or bodies
electric field
vselectrostatic field
  • Specialized
7 3.9

An area around a charged object that pushes or pulls other small charged things

is limited to static charges rather than any moving charge effects
field of force
vselectrostatic field
  • Specialized
8.2

An area around something where its push or pull affects other things

refers specifically to static charge regions, not generally to radiating bodies

Surface Forms

Morphology

electrostatic + field

The noun phrase is compositionally built from 'electrostatic' (pertaining to static electricity) and 'field' (a region in which forces act), so a learner who knows both constituents can infer it denotes the region around static charges where electric forces operate. This is a straightforward technical compound following normal adjective + noun formation and has no idiomatic or metaphorical shift, making it easily interpretable across languages with similar scientific vocabulary.

Etymology

The term electrostatic field comes from the simple image of an invisible space around a charged object, like a rubbed balloon that makes your hair stand up. The word electrostatic means 'electric but not moving' and field means the space around it, so the phrase refers to the area where charges 'push or pull' other charges.