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Why do electric field lines cannot cross?

User Kovge
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2 Answers

5 votes
They cannot cross because they have different values. Each line has its own value and if they could cross, that would mean that we can have 2 different values at the same point (and it cannot be true).
User Trupanka
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7.9k points
3 votes
Electric field 'lines' were invented by people, to have a visualization of the
electric field. We draw 'lines' to show the direction of the force that a tiny
test charge would feel if it were at any point in the field, and the direction
it would move from there.

If 'lines' crossed, then there would be a point in the field where a tiny test
charge would feel a force in two different directions, and it would have a
choice of which way to go from there. That doesn't happen.
User Lima
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9.1k points

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