What ensures that the electric field lines from a positive point charge always point radially outward?
**Coulomb's law** gives force between point charges as F = k·|q₁q₂|/r², k = 1/(4π ε₀) = 9×10⁹ N·m²/C², directed along line joining charges. Like charges repel, opposite attract, magnitude scales with product of charges and inverse square of separation r². The positive charge generates a repulsive force on a positive test charge, as per Coulomb’s law. Due to the spherical symmetry of a point charge, the field is directed radially outward, reflecting the repulsion and symmetry of the charge distribution. Substituting values gives Repulsion, which matches expected magnitude for this electrostatic
Ref: NCERT > Physics Book > Electric Charges and Fields > Coulomb's Law and Force Between Point Charges