Electric field inside a conductor not zero

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the behavior of electric fields within conductors, particularly focusing on whether a neutral conductor can experience a net electric field inside under certain conditions. The subject area pertains to electrostatics and the properties of conductors.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to explore the implications of having a non-ideal conductor and questions whether a strong external electric field could lead to a situation where the finite free charges in the conductor are insufficient to cancel the internal electric field. Other participants raise concerns about the implications of a net electric field inside a conductor and whether this scenario would violate conservation laws.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants sharing their thoughts on the behavior of charges in response to electric fields. Some guidance has been provided regarding the flow of charges and the conditions under which the internal electric field may not be completely canceled, but there is no explicit consensus on the implications of these ideas.

Contextual Notes

Participants are considering the limitations of real conductors compared to ideal conductors, as well as the assumptions regarding charge distribution and the nature of electric fields in these materials.

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Homework Statement


Is it possible to create an electric field such that a neutral conductor will experience a net electric field inside?

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution


The definition of perfect conductor is that there are an infinite amount of charges free to move so that electric fields will cancel on the inside. How about the case for the not ideal conductor? Will there be a point where the electric field is so strong that the finite amount of free charge to distribute will not cancel it on the inside of the conductor? What are such examples in the physical world?
 
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What are your thoughts?
 
Griffiths says that charge will continue to flow to the surface of the conductor until the cancellation of the field is complete. However, if there are not enough charges (which may be the case in a real conductor), the total cancellation may not be complete, resulting in a net E field inside. If there's a net E-field, the charges inside the conductor will keep moving around, perhaps forever. Does this violate some sort of conservation law?
 
In that case, uncanceled electric field's direction is the same of external electric field.
Which means there's no eternal flow of charges inside the unideal conductor.
As a result, the conductor will experience the force which is attempting to destroy
the conductor because (-)charges on one side of conductor are heading opposite to
external EF and (+) charges on the other side of conductor are heading to the same direction
of external EF.

Is there any wrong point in my reply? I'm not sure about this explanation, so please
other people to explain this problem in the right way. :-)
 

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