electric field
7
3.9
- noun
- /ɪˈlɛktrɪk fiːld/
- Specialized
:
campo eléctrico
- When a test charge is placed in an electric field, it experiences a force proportional to its charge.
- apply an electric field
- superlattice under an electric field
- profile of the electric field
And each proton is going to have an electric field radiating out like this.
- And each proton is going to have an electric field radiating out like this.
- Then one uses magnetic and electric fields to hold and heat the plasma.
- Also, there are levels that are set for these for magnetic fields, electric fields, radio frequency fields.
- But if I hold the magnet and move the coil, I don't create an electric field.
- Now moving charges around in electric fields is a lot like it's a lot like lifting weights in gravitational fields.
- And then there's what's called Faraday's induction law, which is how a time changing magnetic field creates an electric field.
Examples
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The optical properties of such a heterostructure are drastically affected by the electric field.
Academic text (1994) -
You create an electric field and the particle, depending on its charge will respond to this electric field by moving.
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The electric field is getting closer and closer.
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Suppose there is a uniform electric field going from left to right.
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Thus, great care must be taken to assure that the electric field does not affect the motion.
Academic text (1993) -
So there is now an electric field inside an inert piece of material.
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The device on the framework in the foreground is an electric field sensor.
Academic text (1998) -
Basic cellular biochemical processes are affected by applied electric fields (Ryaby, 1998).
Academic text (2003) -
In a capacitor, you know, there's just two plates and once those plates become charged up and there's an electric field between them, no more currents going to flow.
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Continuous measurement of the atmospheric electric field was begun by Kelvin at Kew Observatory in 1861.
Academic text (1998)
Synonyms
1
7.4
An area around electric charges that pushes or pulls other charges
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly built from 'electric' (relating to electricity) + 'field' (a region or space where a force operates), so a B1 learner who knows the constituents can readily infer it. This is a regular noun compounding pattern that is cross-linguistically common (e.g. Spanish 'campo eléctrico'), so the concept is transparent despite its scientific specificity.
Etymology
The term electric field may come from the picture of an invisible field around a charged object where other charges feel a 'push' or a 'pull'. One scientist, Michael Faraday, drew this as lines like a map, so today electric field means the area in space that can move or pull electric charges.