We review Hertz's approach for the construction of electrical lines of force produced by an oscillating electric dipole. The method hinges on the Q‐function introduced by Hertz as a mathematical aid without a particular physical meaning. This function is interpreted here as a 3D‐mountain. The projections of the contour lines drawn on the surface of the mountain for different values of constant Q produce the lines of force. We describe some simple aids for explaining the properties of the surface to students.
