A negative test charge experiences a force to the right as a result of an electric field. Which is the best conclusion to draw based on this description?
A. The electric field points to the left because the force on a negative charge is opposite to the direction of the field.
B. The electric field points to the right because the force on a negative charge is in the same direction as the field.
C. No conclusion can be drawn because the sign of the charge creating the field is unknown.
D. No conclusion can be drawn because the amount of charge on the test charge is unknown.
Answer (1)
The electric field must be directed to the left since a negative test charge experiences a force to the right, which is opposite to the direction of the field. Thus, we can conclude the electric field points in the opposite direction of the applied force. This follows the principle that the direction of force on a negative charge is different from the field direction. ;
