Final answer:
The electric field around a charge is defined by the force that would be experienced by a probe charge placed within the field.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to this question is d) probe charge. The electric field (E) is a vector field that represents the force (F) that would be exerted on a positive probe charge placed within the field. The magnitude of this force can be determined using the equation F = qE, where q represents the magnitude of the charge on the probe particle, and E represents the magnitude of the electric field. Protons and electrons, while they carry charge, are not specifically referred to as probe charges in this context. A probe charge is a hypothetical charge used to measure the properties of an electric field.