Electric field inside a cavity

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of electric fields within a cavity of an irregularly shaped conducting surface when a charge is present. Participants explore the implications of charge distribution and potential within conductors and cavities, focusing on theoretical aspects of electrostatics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants assert that the electric field inside a cavity of an irregular conducting surface with any charge is zero, questioning how this phenomenon occurs.
  • There is a repeated inquiry regarding whether the charge is located inside the conductor or within the cavity, indicating a need for clarification on the charge's position.
  • One participant explains that because the surface of a conductor allows charges to move freely, all points on the surface must be at the same potential, leading to the conclusion that the electric field between points at the same potential is zero.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express uncertainty regarding the implications of charge placement and the resulting electric field, with no consensus reached on the explanations provided.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not resolve the assumptions about the charge's location or the implications of potential differences on the electric field within the cavity.

kartikwat
Messages
49
Reaction score
0
I have read that electric field inside a cavity of irregular conducting surface having any charge is zero.how is this possible?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Is the charge inside the conductor or inside the cavity?
 
Meir Achuz said:
Is the charge inside the conductor or inside the cavity?

On Conducting surface
 
kartikwat said:
I have read that electric field inside a cavity of irregular conducting surface having any charge is zero.how is this possible?

Because it's a conducting surface, the charges are free to move around. Therefore, all points on the surface must be at the same potential; if they weren't, the freely moving charges would move from the high-potential areas to the low potential areas until the difference was neutralized.

Ok, so all the points on the surface are at the same potential. What's the electric field between two points with the same potential?
 

Similar threads

Undergrad Off resonance driving of a MW/RF cavity
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
1K
Undergrad Electric field, flux, and conductor questions
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
3K
Graduate Is There an Electric Field Within the Cavity of a Polarized Hollow Conductor?
  • · Replies 48 ·
2
Replies
48
Views
5K
Graduate Image charge of source charge in spherical cavity
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
2K
Undergrad Electron in a microwave cavity
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
893
Graduate Charge Inside a Cavity in a Conductor
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
3K
High School Electric Fields inside Conductors & Gauss' Law
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
1K
Undergrad The Effect of Conductors on Electric Field Lines
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
3K
High School Electric Field Inside a Hollow Sphere
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
1K
High School Thought Experiment on Charge Carriers and Electrical Conduction
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
980