An electric field is a region around a charged particle or object within which a force would be exerted on other charged particles or objects. It is a vector field, meaning it has both magnitude and direction, and is typically represented by electric field lines. The strength of the electric field is measured in volts per meter (V/m) and is defined as the force per unit charge that a small positive test charge would experience if placed in the field. Electric fields are fundamental to the study of electromagnetism and play a crucial role in various physical phenomena, including the behavior of charged particles, the operation of electrical devices, and the propagation of electromagnetic waves.