All Flashcards
What is the effect of placing a conductor in an external electric field?
The free electrons in the conductor rearrange themselves to cancel out the external field inside the conductor, creating a zero-field zone.
What happens when a charge is placed inside a conducting shell?
A charge of equal magnitude but opposite sign is induced on the inner surface of the shell, and a charge of equal magnitude and same sign is induced on the outer surface.
What is the effect of non-perpendicular electric field lines on the surface of a conductor?
A horizontal force would act on the charges, causing them to move, which contradicts the state of electrostatic equilibrium.
What happens when two conducting spheres with different radii and the same positive charge are connected by a wire?
Electrons will flow from the sphere with the larger radius to the sphere with the smaller radius until they reach the same electric potential.
What is the effect of a Faraday cage surrounding an electronic device?
The electronic device is shielded from external electric fields, protecting it from shocks or interference.
Compare the electric field inside and outside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium.
Inside: Electric field is zero. | Outside: Electric field is perpendicular to the surface.
Compare the charge distribution in conductors versus insulators.
Conductors: Charge resides on the surface and distributes evenly. | Insulators: Charge can be distributed throughout the volume and does not move freely.
Compare electric potential and electric field inside a conductor.
Electric Potential: Constant inside the conductor. | Electric Field: Zero inside the conductor.
Compare the behavior of conductors in electrostatic conditions versus dynamic (current flow) conditions.
Electrostatic: Charges are stationary, electric field inside is zero. | Dynamic: Charges are moving, electric field can exist inside due to voltage source.
Compare the function of a conductor with and without a voltage source.
Without Voltage Source: Distributes charge to achieve electrostatic equilibrium. | With Voltage Source: Facilitates continuous charge flow, creating an electric current.
What happens when a conductor is given a charge?
The charges distribute themselves evenly on the surface of the conductor to maximize the distance between them.
What is the effect of an electric field not being perpendicular to a conductor's surface?
It would exert a horizontal force on the charges, causing them to move and disrupting electrostatic equilibrium.
What happens when a conductor is placed in an external electric field?
The electrons rearrange to cancel out the field inside the conductor, creating a shielding effect.
What is the effect of the electric field being zero inside a conductor?
Charges inside the conductor align themselves to create an internal field that perfectly cancels out any external electric field.
What is the effect of surrounding an area with a conductor?
It creates a protected area by blocking out external electric fields (Faraday cage).