Conductors and Equlibrium

If the charges on a conductor are stationary, no electron flow within the conductor (so, it's at equilibrium)… This means that:

1. Net E-field in the conducting material must be zero
   • Because, uhh…., the conductor is stationary, meaning no electron flow
   • So, without electric flow, you know that there is no electrons flowing, which means no electric field
2. Any electrons that would exist would cluster at the surface of the conductor
   • At equilibrium, the electrons would want to be as far away from each other as possible, meaning that they would stick to the surface — to take advantage of the biggest perimeter/circumference
3. At the surface of the conductor, if any E-field is present, it must be perpendicular to the surface
   • If you have a horizontal component, the conductor would be, well, conducting electricity, making it rather not static. This horizonal component will push electrons in the conductor around until it doesn't exist
   • If the E-Field is perpendicular, because we are in the Physics Vacuum, no charges will flow because it can't flow out of the conductor into something else

The net electric field inside a neutral conductor must be 0 equilibrium (at which point it is stationary)

• A conductor at equlibirium would see electrons cluster at curves to maintain perpendicularity of e-Fields
  • Because there are more electrons towards the center and across the conductor to push all electrons towards the extremities before achieving equlibirium
  • If charges are evenly distributed instead of being concentrated on sharper corners, the now-unbalanced electrons will create horizonal components

• PhET Exploration:
  • r0N: KBe20phys201retFieldsVoltagePhET
  • 'Moka: KBhPHYS201PHETElectricFields