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Doubt & Answer Explanation

Doubt

Are the electrostatic field line continuous curve?

Answer Explanation

Yes electric field lines are always continuous.

Electric field lines denote the path of a unit positive charge kept in the field. The tangent to this line at any point gives the direction of the motion of charge at that instant.

Let us now consider a field line which has a break. This field line with a break is shown in the figure:

Now a positive charge +q moves from A towards C.

As it reaches point B, its path disappears but then reappears at B' . So, what happens to the charge now? It must also disappear at B. This is because the direction of movement of the charge is the same as the direction of the field line and the field line directs to the right. Therefore, the charge too must move to the right. That it cannot do as the line breaks! So the charge must basically disappear at B and reappear at B'.

This is not possible too. :)

Therefore, field lines are continuous.

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