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If we assume a region of space in which there is no electric field, can we say that no electric charge exists?

I think that there is no electric charge particles to create electric field for this specific region of space, am I right?

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    $\begingroup$ I guess that if there are no charges there aren't any electric fields being generated (at least in classical dynamics, maybe in quantum field theory they have a different view) $\endgroup$
    – Suriya
    Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 13:33
  • $\begingroup$ Do you mean no net charges (but neutral matter) or do you mean a pure vacuum (no matter of any kind nearby)? $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 15:03
  • $\begingroup$ @LewisMiller i mean "electric field in a region of space is zero" can i say that no electric charges are in that region or not? $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 16:47

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No, this is not true all the times for every region in space. Take this example: If you have two charges with the negative charge. At the middle of the straight line that connects them, the electric field(the force) will be equal to zero because the force from the electric field of each charge will be equal in magnitude but they will have opposite direction at that point, so they will cancel out.
There is also an example where this happens to a bigger region in space. Say you have two plates, each of equal charge of the same sign. Then, between the two plates, the net electric field will be approximately zero.(approximately because at some points between the plates it is nearly zero for reasons that are not to be analyzed here).

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  • $\begingroup$ U mean "with same charge particles a hollow zero electric field region created" ? $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 16:44
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    $\begingroup$ @MAbidMajeed Yes, but my examples are just some examples. The important here is to understand that you can have a zero net(total) electric field even when charges are near. But if we theoretically imagine a world with only one charge, then you can't have a region in space that will have zero electric field $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 23, 2016 at 16:51

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