How does the strength of an electric field change with distance?

The strength of an electric field decreases with distance from the source.

Electric fields are created by charged particles and are measured in volts per meter (V/m). The strength of an electric field is directly proportional to the amount of charge creating the field and inversely proportional to the distance from the source. This means that as the distance from the source increases, the strength of the electric field decreases.

The relationship between electric field strength and distance is described by Coulomb's law, which states that the force between two charged particles is proportional to the product of their charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This means that if the distance between two charged particles is doubled, the force between them decreases by a factor of four.

In practical terms, this means that if you move away from a source of electric charge, such as a battery or an electrically charged object, the strength of the electric field will decrease. This is why electric fields are weaker at greater distances and why it is safer to be further away from high voltage power lines or other sources of high voltage electricity.