conductor electrostatic equilibrium

Question

Electric field inside a conductor (electrostatic equilibrium) is?

RankGuru · Accepted Answer

1. **Behavior of Charges**: In a conductor, charges are free to move. If an electric field were present inside, it would exert forces and cause current to flow.
2. **Equilibrium State**: In electrostatic equilibrium, all internal macroscopic flow has ceased. This implies no net force on the internal charges.
3. **Conclusion**: The only way for the net force on every internal charge to be zero is if the **internal electric field is exactly zero** ($E_{inside} = 0$).
4. **Mechanism**: Charges rearrange themselves on the outer surface specifically to cancel any external applied field perfectly within the volume.

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conductor electrostatic equilibrium

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