Exploring the Skin Effect: How Charge Flows in a Wire

[cragar]

When electrons flow in a wire it seems like they would flow on the outside because the electrons would push each other away, for the same reason the E field is zero inside a conductor. But then again it seems that if that were the case the E field wouldn't be able to push the electrons very well. Any input will be much appreciated.

 

[1994Bhaskar]

You don't need to worry.Electric field does that, it acts on the surface so it is enough capable of pushing electrons in a good way.Don't think philosophically in physics!

 

[cragar]

How is that philosophical, So does charge flow all through out the cross section of the wire?

 

[singhvi]

You are totally on the wrong track here.
Electric field is zero inside a perfect conductor, never really true practically except in super-conductors and not the reason for electrons being on the periphery.
Current travels on the periphery only in AC current, not DC, reason being the penetration depth of EM waves in the conductor (EM wave associated with the AC current), I don't think putting it as electrons pushing each other away is right at all, its just that the associated wave travels well in air but decays as it enters the conductor(due to cutoff of the wave), and hence the associated current must decrease, as amplitude of EM wave and current are proportional. Its called the skin effect, you should look it up.

Electric field is zero inside a conductor(ideally) and the skin effect are two totally separate phenomenon.

 

[cragar]

thanks I looked up the skin effect very interesting.