Problem 5 – Using Python to create electric field lines
In this section, let's look at some applications of Python for engineering and, in particular, physics. We are going to be creating an electric field lines plot. Why would we want to create that kind of plot and what exactly is it? An electric field happens when there is an electric charge. We use vectors to show these electric fields for every point in space. In physics, an electric field is an electric force per unit charge. Take a look at what that field looks like for a positive point charge and a negative point charge, as shown in the following diagram:
Figure 16.11 – Electric field sample
As you can see, an electric field line will begin at the charge or end at the charge. If it begins at the charge, it is positive, while it if ends at the charge, it is negative, as can be seen in the preceding screenshot. There are a fewer number of lines for a lesser charge and more lines for...