Which statement describes the directions of the electric fields for a proton and an electron?

Which statement describes the directions of the electric fields for a proton and an electron?

• A. Proton toward; Electron away
• B. Proton perpendicular; Electron perpendicular
• C. Proton away; Electron toward
• D. Proton around; Electron around

Answer: (C)

Electric field direction follows the sign of the source charge: positive charges push field lines outward, while negative charges pull them inward. A proton, being positive, has a field that points away from it. An electron, being negative, has a field that points toward it. So the statement that describes the proton’s field as away and the electron’s field as toward aligns with how electric fields are defined. The other options conflict with these basic directions or describe directions that don’t apply to a single point charge’s field.

Electric field direction follows the sign of the source charge: positive charges push field lines outward, while negative charges pull them inward. A proton, being positive, has a field that points away from it. An electron, being negative, has a field that points toward it. So the statement that describes the proton’s field as away and the electron’s field as toward aligns with how electric fields are defined. The other options conflict with these basic directions or describe directions that don’t apply to a single point charge’s field.