ABSTRACT
Electrostatic field can be obtained by the distribution of static charges. The two fundamental laws which describe electrostatic fields are Coulomb’s law and Gauss’s law. Coulomb’s law can be used to find electric field when the charge distribution is of any type, but it is easy to use Gauss’s law to find electric field when the charge distribution is symmetrical. This chapter presents the graphical representation of electric field intensity and discusses the most widely used coordinate systems: Cartesian or rectangular co-ordinate system, circular or cylindrical co-ordinate system, and spherical co-ordinate system. It provides information on the applications of Gauss's law and introduces linear, isotropic and homogeneous dielectrics. The chapter also includes review questions and answers, as well as multiple choice questions related to the concept of static electric fields.
