Electric Field inside a conductor

[leolaw]

How come the electric field inside a conductor is equal to 0?

How do you explain with Gauss's Law?

 

[faust9]

What are the requirements for an electric field to be present? A brand new battery sitting on a countertop--is there an e-field sitting at the top and bottom of the battery?

 

[wais]

The electric field inside a conductor is equal to 0 because of the principles of electrostatic equilibrium. This means that the charges inside the conductor are at rest and in a state of equilibrium, with no net movement of charge. In this state, the electric field inside the conductor must be 0, as any non-zero electric field would cause the charges to move, thus disrupting the equilibrium.

This can also be explained using Gauss's Law, which states that the net electric flux through a closed surface is equal to the enclosed charge divided by the permittivity of free space. In the case of a conductor, the charges are distributed evenly throughout the material, and the electric field inside the conductor is perpendicular to the surface. This means that the net electric flux through any closed surface drawn inside the conductor is 0, as there is no enclosed charge. Therefore, according to Gauss's Law, the electric field inside the conductor must also be 0.

In summary, the electric field inside a conductor is equal to 0 due to the principles of electrostatic equilibrium and can also be explained using Gauss's Law. This is a fundamental property of conductors and is important in understanding their behavior in electrical systems.