Describe the shape of electric field lines around a positive charge.

Electric field lines around a positive charge radiate outwards in all directions from the charge.

The electric field lines around a positive charge provide a visual representation of the electric field created by the charge. These lines are imaginary and are used to illustrate the direction and strength of the electric field. They are drawn starting from the positive charge and extend outwards in all directions. This is because the electric field created by a positive charge exerts a force that pushes other positive charges away from it. Therefore, the direction of the field lines is the direction a positive test charge would move if placed in the field.

The density of the field lines is also significant. The closer the lines are to each other, the stronger the electric field in that region. This means that the electric field is strongest near the positive charge where the field lines are most concentrated, and it weakens as you move further away from the charge where the field lines are more spread out.

It's also important to note that electric field lines never intersect each other. Each line is an independent path that a positive test charge would follow. If the lines were to intersect, it would imply that a charge placed at the intersection would have more than one direction of force, which is not possible.

In summary, the electric field lines around a positive charge radiate outwards, indicating the direction of the force that the field would exert on a positive test charge. The density of these lines represents the strength of the electric field, with a higher density indicating a stronger field. These lines provide a useful tool for visualising and understanding electric fields.