Charge Redistribution in Conducting Objects

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In summary: Two touching conductors act like a single object.That's right! The electric fields add together in the same way, so the net charge on each conductor is the same.
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Samanko
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I know that if two conducting objects touch each other, the charges will distribute equally over the objects.
What if one object has 3 excess electrons, one is neutral?
How can the charge distribute equally over two objects?
 
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Two touching conductors act like a single object.
 
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That bit about how "the charges will distribute equally over the objects" applies when the number of electrons is large enough that we can treat the charge density as a continuous function instead of thinking about individual electrons. It's somewhat analogous to the way that I can talk about the smooth surface of a beach sloping evenly towards the water, even though we know that at a sufficiently small scale the beach is made up individual grains of sand - we don't know where each grain of sand is, but we know that together they arrange themselves to form a beach that we can describe as a continuous smooth surface.

Of course this approach won't work if we have just three grains of sand, and the "distribute equally" model doesn't work for three electrons either. The electrons will arrange themselves in a way that minimizes the potential energy; we'd need to know the exact shapes of the two objects to calculate what that arrangement will be.
(If you have a very large number of electrons, then doing that calculation will yield the same result as "distribute evenly"; the latter is much easier to calculate with, so that's what we use whenever it is applicable).
 
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Samanko said:
I know that if two conducting objects touch each other, the charges will distribute equally over the objects.

That's true if the objects have the same size and shape. What's the same is the electric potential.

What if one object has 3 excess electrons, one is neutral?
How can the charge distribute equally over two objects?

It can't! The formulas assume that there are a very large number of charges. This condition is satisfied even if you have a differential element of charge ##dq##! It's macroscopically small yet microscopically large.
 

1. What is charge redistribution in conducting objects?

Charge redistribution in conducting objects refers to the movement of electrons within a conductive material in response to an external electric field. This redistribution of charge can result in changes in the overall charge distribution and potential energy of the object.

2. How does charge redistribution occur in conducting objects?

Charge redistribution occurs in conducting objects due to the free movement of electrons within the material. When an external electric field is applied, the electrons within the material are attracted or repelled by the field, causing them to move and redistribute within the object.

3. What factors can affect charge redistribution in conducting objects?

The amount of charge redistribution in conducting objects can be affected by the strength of the external electric field, the properties of the conducting material (such as its conductivity and shape), and the presence of any other nearby conductive objects.

4. Why is charge redistribution important in conducting objects?

Charge redistribution plays a crucial role in the behavior of conducting objects in electric fields. It determines the overall charge distribution and potential energy of the object, which can affect its interactions with other objects and its ability to conduct electricity.

5. How is charge redistribution in conducting objects relevant in everyday life?

Charge redistribution in conducting objects is relevant in many everyday applications, such as in electronic devices, power transmission, and lightning protection. Understanding and controlling charge redistribution is essential for the proper functioning and safety of these technologies.

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