An electric field is a region in space where an electrically charged particle, such as an electron or proton, experiences a force. This force is caused by the presence of other charged particles in the surrounding area, and the strength and direction of the field is determined by the properties of these charged particles.
Electric charge is measured in units of Coulombs (C). The charge of a single electron is -1.602 x 10^-19 C, while the charge of a single proton is +1.602 x 10^-19 C. The charge of an object can be determined by using an instrument called an electroscope or by measuring the force exerted between two charged objects.
Electric charge is the source of an electric field. The strength of the electric field at a given point is directly proportional to the amount of charge present in that location. In other words, the larger the charge, the stronger the electric field will be.
The electric field due to a point charge can be calculated using the equation E = kQ/r^2, where E is the electric field strength, k is the Coulomb's constant (9 x 10^9 Nm^2/C^2), Q is the charge of the point charge, and r is the distance between the point charge and the location where the electric field is being measured.
Electric field and electric potential are related but different concepts. Electric field is a measure of the force exerted on a charged particle, while electric potential is a measure of the potential energy per unit charge at a given point in an electric field. In other words, electric potential tells us how much energy a charged particle would have if placed at a certain point, while electric field tells us how that particle would move and accelerate in that location.