Electrostatic Induction: Conductor vs. Dielectric Response Time

AI Thread Summary
Electrostatic fields induce charges on conductor surfaces more rapidly than dielectrics respond to the same field, with conduction electrons adjusting in femtoseconds. Detecting this difference requires optical experiments rather than electronic means. Cooling a conductor may enhance its reaction speed to electrostatic fields. However, if the field is changing, it is not considered static, and the terminology shifts to 'electric field.' The discussion highlights the nuances in response times between conductors and dielectrics under electrostatic conditions.
Samson4
Messages
242
Reaction score
15
Do electrostatic fields induce charges on conductor surfaces faster than dielectrics respond to an identical field?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Conduction electrons adjust in femtoseconds or less; I suspect that dielectrics respond slightly slower.

You cannot detect the difference by electronic means; it would require optical experiments.
 
Thanks Ultrafast. Am I correct in assuming that if a conductor is cooled, it will react faster to electrostatic fields?
 
Samson4 said:
Thanks Ultrafast. Am I correct in assuming that if a conductor is cooled, it will react faster to electrostatic fields?

If a field is changing (which is necessary to reveal any delay), it is no longer 'static'. The term is just 'electric field'.
 
  • Like
Likes 1 person
Susskind (in The Theoretical Minimum, volume 1, pages 203-205) writes the Lagrangian for the magnetic field as ##L=\frac m 2(\dot x^2+\dot y^2 + \dot z^2)+ \frac e c (\dot x A_x +\dot y A_y +\dot z A_z)## and then calculates ##\dot p_x =ma_x + \frac e c \frac d {dt} A_x=ma_x + \frac e c(\frac {\partial A_x} {\partial x}\dot x + \frac {\partial A_x} {\partial y}\dot y + \frac {\partial A_x} {\partial z}\dot z)##. I have problems with the last step. I might have written ##\frac {dA_x} {dt}...
Thread 'Griffith, Electrodynamics, 4th Edition, Example 4.8. (Second part)'
I am reading the Griffith, Electrodynamics book, 4th edition, Example 4.8. I want to understand some issues more correctly. It's a little bit difficult to understand now. > Example 4.8. Suppose the entire region below the plane ##z=0## in Fig. 4.28 is filled with uniform linear dielectric material of susceptibility ##\chi_e##. Calculate the force on a point charge ##q## situated a distance ##d## above the origin. In the page 196, in the first paragraph, the author argues as follows ...
Back
Top