As you travel through space, you find yourself moving into regions of ever-higher voltage. You are traveling . . .
A) perpendicularly to the electric field.
B) in exactly the same direction as the electric field.
C) in a region with no electric field.
D) in a direction exactly opposite to the electric field.
D) in a directin exactly opposite to the electric field
As you travel through space and find yourself moving into regions of ever-higher voltage, the correct answer is D) in a direction exactly opposite to the electric field.
Voltage is a measure of the electric potential difference between two points in an electric field. When the voltage increases, it indicates that the electric potential is becoming higher. Moving in a direction exactly opposite to the electric field means that you are moving against the direction of the electric field lines. This is consistent with moving into regions of higher voltage since the potential difference between two points in an electric field is related to the direction of the electric field lines.
To determine the correct answer, we need to understand how electric fields and voltage are related. The electric field is a vector quantity that points in the direction of the force experienced by a positive test charge. Voltage, on the other hand, is a scalar quantity that represents the electric potential energy per unit charge at a given point in an electric field.
When moving through regions of ever-higher voltage, the path you are traveling indicates the direction of the electric field. Here are the possible scenarios:
A) Perpendicularly to the electric field: If you are traveling in a direction perpendicular to the electric field, the voltage should remain constant along your path. This scenario does not match our given situation of ever-higher voltages, so option A is incorrect.
B) In exactly the same direction as the electric field: If you are traveling in the same direction as the electric field, you are moving from a lower voltage region to a higher voltage region. This aligns with the given situation of ever-higher voltages. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.
C) In a region with no electric field: If there is no electric field in the region you are traveling, the voltage should remain constant along your path. This does not match our given situation of ever-higher voltages, so option C is incorrect.
D) In a direction exactly opposite to the electric field: If you are moving in the opposite direction of the electric field, you are moving from a higher voltage region to a lower voltage region. This contradicts the given situation of ever-higher voltages, so option D is incorrect.
In conclusion, the correct answer is B) in exactly the same direction as the electric field.