How does positive charge spread out in conductors?

jperentosh

I know that when there are excess positive charges in a conductor, for example, a metal sphere, the positive charges will spread out over its surface. However, I am confused about how this excess charge spreads out over the surface, if protons cannot move and only electrons can move.
Can someone please inform me on how the excess positive charge spreads out over the surfaces of conductors?

berkeman

How do you "know" this? Could you provide a textbook reference that states this? It is not true...

xAxis

Just imagine the situation. Excess positive charge means there is a lack of electrons. Would you really expect that in that case, say left side of the sphere would stay without electrons, and all electrons on the right side of the sphere would stay there?

sophiecentaur

I think you are being a bit harsh here. It is not necessary to discuss nuts and bolts (electrons) in the context of most matters electrical. You can treat Positive and Negative elecrostatic charges in exactly the same way in many or even most cases. Any decent model of electricity should work just as well in a world of antimatter - even if we have only, so far, produced about 30 Anti-Hydrogen atoms.

Do we not discuss Holes in solid state physics?