This is the electric field at point r 0 due to the point charge q 1 ; it is a vector-valued function equal to the Coulomb force per unit charge that a positive point charge would experience at the position r 0 . Since this formula gives the electric field magnitude and direction at any point r 0 in space (except at the location of the charge itself, r 1 , where it becomes infinite) it defines a vector field. From the above formula it can be seen that the electric field due to a point charge is everywhere directed away from the charge if it is positive, and toward the charge if it is negative, and its magnitude decreases with the inverse square of the distance from the charge.