College Physics (4th Edition)

Published by McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN 10: 0073512141
ISBN 13: 978-0-07351-214-3

Chapter 16 - Conceptual Questions - Page 610: 3

Answer

see solution

Work Step by Step

In electrostatic equilibrium, the charges are not in motion. If there were a nonzero electric field inside the conductor, then there would be a force on the free electrons and they'd accelerate. Thus there is no electric field inside the conductor. But this also implies that there are no free electrons inside the conductor or else they'd be creating an electric field. So all of the free electrons must be located on the surface of the conductor.
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