Question

A free negative charge released in an electric field will remain at rest. accelerate in a direction perpendicular to the electric field. accelerate in the same direction as the electric field is pointing. accelerate along a circular path. accelerate in the direction opposite the electric field.

Answer 1

Concepts and reason

The concept used to solve this problem is force on an electric charge in an electric field.

Initially, use the expression of electric force in terms of charge and electric field to find what will happen when the negative charge is released in an electric field. Finally, find what happened when the free negative charge released in an electric field.

Fundamentals

Electric field is defined as the electric force per unit charge.

The expression for the electric force is,

$F=qE $

Here, is the electric force, is the charge, and is the electric field.

The direction of electric field is radially outward from a positive charge and radially in towards a negative point charge.

The expression for the electric force is,

$F=qE $

Here the charge is negative.

Substitute for .

$F=-qE $

The force is directing opposite to the electric field. Hence, the free charge will not remain at rest, neither the acceleration in the direction perpendicular to the electric field, acceleration in the same direction to the electric field nor accelerate along a circular path. When the negative charge is released in an electric field.

The expression for the electric force is,

Here the charge is negative.

Substitute for .

The direction of electric force is opposite to the electric field.

Therefore, the negative charge will accelerate in the direction opposite the electric field.

Ans:

The free negative charge will accelerate in the direction opposite the electric field.