ɪn klˈæsɪkəl ɪlˌɛktɹoʊmˈæɡnɪtˌɪzəm, ðɪ ᵻlˈɛktɹɪk fˈoːɹs ɪz ɐ pˈæθˌɪndᵻpˈɛndənt fˈoːɹs; ˈaɪ.ˈiː. ðə wˈɜːk dˈʌn ˌɔn ɐ pˈɑːɹɾɪkəl ðæt hɐz ɹᵻtˈɜːnd tʊ ɪts ɚɹˈɪdʒɪnəl pəzˈɪʃən wɪðˌɪn ɐn ᵻlˈɛktɹɪk fˈiːld ɪz zˈiəɹoʊ ɐsˈuːmɪŋ ðæt nˈoʊ tʃˈeɪndʒɪŋ mæɡnˈɛɾɪk fˈiːldz ɑːɹ pɹˈɛzənt.
In classical electromagnetism, the electric force is a path-independent force; i.e. the work done on a particle that has returned to its original position within an electric field is zero (assuming that no changing magnetic fields are present).