Undergrad Why are field lines parallel in a uniform field?

[jackiepollock]

For a uniform field like this, I imagine the two plates that creates it are made of multiple atoms with charges, which are points sources that create radial fields. We know that radial fields don't have parallel fields lines, so how are parallel fields lines form when the field is made of various radial fields? Is it caused by the vector sums of these radial fields?

 

[BvU]

Hello,

Yes you have the right picture in mind. There is an analogy with waves: the summation of waves propagating in circles from adjacent sources generates a more or less linear wave front ( google huijgens principle ).

So on the edges of the plates the field lines will bulge outward a little bit$\$

 

[jackiepollock]

Hello,

Yes you have the right picture in mind. There is an analogy with waves: the summation of waves propagating in circles from adjacent sources generates a more or less linear wave front ( google huijgens principle ).

So on the edges of the plates the field lines will bulge outward a little bit$\$

Thank you!

 

[rudransh verma]

For a uniform field like this, I imagine the two plates that creates it are made of multiple atoms with charges, which are points sources that create radial fields. We know that radial fields don't have parallel fields lines, so how are parallel fields lines form when the field is made of various radial fields? Is it caused by the vector sums of these radial fields?

View attachment 287041

On the plate the charges are on the surface which can’t move because the field don’t have any tangential component along the surface. The vector sum of all the fields at all points are fields perpendicular to the surface.