College Physics (4th Edition)

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

Chapter 18 - Conceptual Questions - Page 696: 1

Answer

The electric field inside a conductor is zero.

Work Step by Step

In a conductor, the electrons are free to move and they distribute themselves as far from each other as possible. As a result, the electrons end up on the surface of the conductor and the net charge inside the conductor is zero. By Gauss' law, since the enclosed charge inside the conductor is zero, then the electric field inside the conductor must also be zero.
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