If the electric field inside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium is zero, what can be said about the electric field just outside the conductor?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
If the electric field inside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium is zero, what can be said about the electric field just outside the conductor?
It is zero
It is uniform
It is perpendicular to the surface
It is parallel to the surface
The electric field just outside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium is perpendicular to the surface.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: If the electric field inside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium is zero, what can be said about the electric field just outside the conductor?
Solution: The electric field just outside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium is perpendicular to the surface.
Steps: 5
Step 1: Understand that a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium means that charges are at rest and there is no movement of charge within the conductor.
Step 2: Know that inside the conductor, the electric field is zero. This is because any electric field would cause charges to move, which contradicts the idea of electrostatic equilibrium.
Step 3: Recognize that the charges on the surface of the conductor will rearrange themselves in response to any external electric fields until the electric field inside the conductor is zero.
Step 4: Realize that just outside the surface of the conductor, the electric field must be present to balance the charges on the surface.
Step 5: Conclude that the electric field just outside the conductor is perpendicular to the surface of the conductor. This is because the electric field lines must start or end on charges, and they do so at right angles to the surface.
