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Linear charge density

Description

Linear density is the measure of a quantity of any characteristic value per unit of length. Llinear charge density (the amount of electric charge per unit length) is one of the two common examples used in science and engineering. See also linear mass density.

The term linear density is most often used when describing the characteristics of one-dimensional objects, although linear density can also be used to describe the density of a three-dimensional quantity along one particular dimension. Just as density is most often used to mean mass density, the term linear density likewise often refers to linear mass density. However, this is only one example of a linear density, as any quantity can be measured in terms of its value along one dimension.

The linear charge density can then be understood as the derivative of the charge function with respect to the one dimension of the wire (the position along its length).

Related formulas

Variables

λqLinear charge density (C/m)
dqderivative of the charge function (C)
dlone dimension of the wire (the position along its length) (m)