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Field Strength Converter

Our free electrical & magnetic converter handles field strength conversions. See tables, ratios, and examples for quick reference.

Reviewed by Manoj Kumar, Mathematics Educator

Reviewed by Manoj Kumar, Mathematics Educator

Formula

Converted Value = Input x (From Unit Factor / To Unit Factor)

Electric field strength measures the force per unit charge in an electric field. All conversions go through the base SI unit of volts per meter (V/m). The conversion factors between units are based on metric prefixes and length unit relationships. Newton per coulomb is dimensionally identical to volt per meter.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Capacitor Field Strength

Problem:A parallel plate capacitor has 12 V across plates separated by 2 mm. What is the electric field strength in V/m and V/cm?

Solution:E = V / d = 12 V / 0.002 m = 6000 V/m\nConvert to V/cm: 6000 / 100 = 60 V/cm\nThis is well below the breakdown strength of air.

Result:6000 V/m = 60 V/cm

Example 2: Antenna Signal Measurement

Problem:An antenna measures a signal at 500 uV/m. Express this in V/m and dBuV/m.

Solution:500 uV/m = 500 x 10^-6 V/m = 0.0005 V/m\ndBuV/m = 20 x log10(500) = 20 x 2.699 = 53.98 dBuV/m\nThis is a moderate signal level for FM radio reception.

Result:500 uV/m = 0.0005 V/m = 53.98 dBuV/m

Frequently Asked Questions

What is electric field strength?

Electric field strength is a measure of the force per unit charge experienced by a test charge placed in an electric field. The SI unit is volts per meter (V/m), which is equivalent to newtons per coulomb (N/C). It describes how strongly an electric field can influence charged particles at a given point in space. Higher field strengths mean stronger forces on charges and greater potential differences over short distances.

What are typical electric field strengths in everyday life?

The atmospheric electric field near the Earth surface is about 100-150 V/m on a fair day. Inside a household power cable, field strengths reach about 100 V/m. The dielectric breakdown of air occurs at roughly 3 million V/m (3 MV/m or 30 kV/cm), which is the field strength at which lightning and sparks form. Inside electronic circuits and capacitors, fields can reach thousands to millions of volts per meter.

References

Reviewed by Manoj Kumar, Mathematics Educator · Editorial policy