Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): Electrostatic field lines do not form closed loops.
Reason (R): A field line that starts on a positive charge must end at infinity.
In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A) is correct but (R) is not correct.
Assertion (A) Electrostatic field lines do not form closed loops. — True. A field line never comes back to the point where it started. This follows from the conservative nature of the electrostatic field.
Reason (R) A field line that starts on a positive charge must end at infinity. — False. Field lines start on positive charges and end on negative charges. They go to infinity only in cases such as a single charge, where there is no negative charge for them to end on.
NCERT (2026-27):
Electric Field Lines – “(i) Field lines start from positive charges and end at negative charges. If there is a single charge, they may start or end at infinity.”
Electric Field Lines – “(iv) Electrostatic field lines do not form any closed loops.”