Question

I can't understand the difference between 'the work the electric force does' and 'the work the electric field does'. Could you explain it in detail?

Answer 1

Work is done on any system by the electric force F not by the electric field although all these terms are inter related. Let me start with the basic definition of the work W

Here, d is the distance.The above equation indicates that the work is done because of the force F. It can be of any kind mechanical, physical, electric, magnetic etc. But in this case the force is electrical in nature which is arising due to the interaction of the charged particles. If only one sinle charge is there then the force will be zero due to the absence of interactions and hence the work W will be zero.

On the other hand electric field does not directly apply any work on the system. Electric field is nothing but represents a region around a charged partlce (can be single or multiple). In other words the presence of charge creates certain region around it which is expressed as electric field lines and if any other charged particle comes into the vicinity of that region it will experience the interaction hence force and hence work on the system.

So to conclude electric force is directly leading to work if no electric force then the work is zero. While the electric field does not contribute directly to work e.g if we have single charge then electric field is there but not electric force and hence work. The electric field will only lead to work done similar to electric force only if the multiple charges are interacting or in other words the electric field lines of multiple charges are interacting with each other.