An insulator becomes Polarised when a field is applied. The charges around individual molecules get displaced a bit (negative one way and positive the other) but they are not released to move to another molecule. The amount of this effect is the Dielectric Constant of the material. An insulator, inserted between the plates of an Air Capacitor will increase its capacitance. Current will flow whilst the capacitor is charging up but it is a transient effect because the charges will not flow through the insulator. I guess that, whilst the capacitor is charging up, you could consider that a charge density exists. But, even in a metal, the net charge density is zero (each mobile electron will have a corresponding static proton).edgarpokemon said:I thought that insulators cannot be charged in the inside or the outside, so how can they have any charge density inside? I know that electric fields pass through a insulator, so is that why they can have charge density? I am currently reading about electric flux.
Insulators are materials that do not allow the flow of electric current. However, they can still have charge density inside due to the presence of bound charges. These bound charges are fixed in position and cannot move freely within the material, unlike free charges in conductors. This results in a separation of charges, with positive charges being attracted to the negative charges, creating a net charge density inside the insulator.
The presence of charge density inside insulators is due to the presence of atoms with tightly bound electrons. These electrons are not able to move freely within the material, but they can still be influenced by an external electric field. When an electric field is applied, the electrons will slightly shift from their original positions, creating a charge imbalance and resulting in a charge density inside the insulator.
Yes, insulators can have a higher charge density inside compared to conductors. This is because in insulators, the electrons are tightly bound to the atoms, leading to a higher density of charges in a smaller space. In contrast, in conductors, the free electrons are able to move easily within the material, resulting in a lower charge density.
The charge density inside an insulator can affect its properties in various ways. It can influence the dielectric strength of the material, which is its ability to withstand an electric field without breaking down. It can also affect the capacitance of the material, which is a measure of its ability to store electric charge. Additionally, the charge density inside an insulator can affect its thermal and mechanical properties, such as its melting point and strength.
Yes, insulators can lose their charge density inside if they are exposed to a strong enough external electric field. This can cause the bound electrons to be pulled away from their positions, resulting in a breakdown of the insulator and the loss of its ability to resist the flow of electric current. Insulators can also lose their charge density inside through processes such as polarization and dielectric breakdown.