What does an electric charge create in its environment?

An electric charge generates an electric field in the space surrounding it. This electric field is a region where other charges experience a force due to the presence of the electric charge. The strength and direction of this electric field can be described using electric field lines, which radiate outward from positive charges and inward toward negative charges.

The electric field affects how other charged particles will move in its presence, illustrating the fundamental interactions of electric charges. For instance, a positive charge creates an electric field that repels other positive charges while attracting negative ones.

While a charged object can also be a source of a magnetic field when it moves (as in the case of electric currents), in the context of this question focused on what an electric charge creates in its immediate environment, the electric field is the primary and direct effect associated with static charges. The other fields mentioned have their own specific contexts and conditions of generation, which do not apply to the scenario described in the question focused on an electric charge alone.