Gauss's Law and a hollow metal cylinder

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on applying Gauss's Law to a long, straight wire surrounded by a hollow metal cylinder. The wire has a charge per unit length of λ, while the cylinder has a net charge per unit length of 2λ. According to Gauss's Law, the electric field inside the hollow cylinder is zero, as the charges on the inner surface of the cylinder redistribute to cancel the field from the wire. The charge per unit length on the inner surface of the cylinder is -λ, and the outer surface carries a charge of λ.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Gauss's Law
  • Familiarity with electric fields and conductors
  • Knowledge of charge distribution in conductors
  • Basic principles of electrostatics
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of Gauss's Law in electrostatics
  • Learn about charge distribution on conductors in electrostatic equilibrium
  • Explore electric field calculations for cylindrical symmetry
  • Investigate the implications of electric fields inside and outside conductors
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Students of physics, particularly those studying electromagnetism, educators teaching electrostatics, and anyone interested in understanding the principles of electric fields in conductive materials.

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Homework Statement



A long, straight wire is surrounded by a hollow metal cylinder whose axis coincides with that of the wire. The wire has a charge per unit length of lambda, and the cylinder has a net charge per unit length of 2lambda. From this information, use Gauss's law to find (a) the charge per unit length on the inner and outer surfaces of the cylinder and (b) the electric field outside the cylinder, a distance r from the axis.



The Attempt at a Solution



My book says inside the surface, E field is 0. But I don't understand, isn't the wire a conductor spreading E fields of its own?

[PLAIN]http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/8741/98449368.jpg
 
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Is inside the shell not the same as being on the surface of the shell?
 
maybe that "inside the surface" means that inside the metal of shell (the thin layer)
 

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