What is the relationship between physics field and force?

In summary: It's all about the charge! So if you want to know whether a given field is a force field, just look at its charge. Fields are a fundamental part of classical physics, and they are used to describe a wide variety of phenomena, including gravity, electric and magnetic fields, and waves.Whenever there is a field there will be a force whenever the field interacts with an object placed in that field?
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qorizon
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Whenever there is a field there will be a force whenever the field interacts with an object placed in that field?

Is this always correct?
 
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One thing that occurs to me in this regard is that gravity is a field in classical physics and involves a force, but in GR it's just a result of space-time geometry and no force.
 
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Field is a mathematical object which has a value (scalar or vector) at every point in space (or some manifold).
 
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qorizon said:
Whenever there is a field there will be a force whenever the field interacts with an object placed in that field?

Is this always correct?

It seems redundant but it was actually a real step forward in understanding when the concept of the field took hold. The story goes that Faraday had the intuition for fields and Maxwell made them mathematical. Prior to fields, forces were thought to "act at a distance," which was another way for saying that we didn't have a clue what was going on, but surely something. Taking the idea of fields seriously, by which I mean thinking of them as actual physical entities rather than mere mathematical abstractions, was a necessary step towards Maxwell's derivation of the self-propagating electromagnetic wave. There is just no way to talk about radiation if you only have the concept of force, and no fields. So while it may seem redundant for certain applications, it was a real step forward for our understanding of physics, the story goes.
 
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qorizon said:
Whenever there is a field there will be a force whenever the field interacts with an object placed in that field?

Is this always correct?
If the field is a force field then, pretty much by definition, if an appropriate object is placed in the field, there will be a force on it- but there are many kinds of fields other than "force" fields. The reason I say "appropriate" object is that there are many different kinds of force fields. Any object with mass will feel a force in a gravitational field but only an object with charge will feel a force in an electric field (and only a moving object, with charge, will feel a force in a magnetic field).
 
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Related to What is the relationship between physics field and force?

1. What is the definition of a physics field?

A physics field is a region of space where a physical quantity, such as force or energy, is present and can exert a force on objects within that region.

2. How do physics fields relate to forces?

Physics fields are responsible for creating forces between objects. For example, the gravitational field created by the Earth causes objects to experience the force of gravity.

3. What is the difference between a conservative and non-conservative force?

A conservative force is one that does not dissipate or lose energy as an object moves through it, such as gravity or electrostatic forces. A non-conservative force, like friction or air resistance, does dissipate energy and can change the motion of an object.

4. Can physics fields be measured and quantified?

Yes, physics fields can be measured and quantified using mathematical equations and tools such as sensors and measuring devices. This allows scientists to understand and predict the behavior of objects within these fields.

5. How do changes in physics fields affect forces?

Changes in physics fields, such as a change in the strength or direction of a magnetic field, can directly affect the forces acting on objects within that field. This can result in changes in motion, acceleration, and other physical properties of objects within the field.

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