Question

An electrostatic field line cannot be discontinuous. Why?

Answer 1

Answer:

• An electrostatic line is a continuous curve, because tangent to it at any point represents the direction in which a test charge kept at that point will experience force.
• It cannot have sudden breaks, because no abrupt force acts on a test charge.

Answer 2

An electrostatic field line cannot be discontinuous:

• Small positive test charges travel downfield lines.

• The charge moves from point to point rather than from one point to the next, and the electrostatic field exerts a constant pull on it.

• The charge cannot travel in a continuous path, hence the lines are not broken.

• Furthermore, electrostatic field lines depict the strength of the electric field, which is never disrupted.