Where are Electrons on a Charged Metal Sphere?

[daniel69]

Suppose you give a metal sphere a negative charge. The electrons on the sphere will be...

A. located right in the middle of the shere
B. distributed in small bunches over the outside of the shere
C. evenly distributed over the outside of the shere
D. none of these

 

[Hootenanny]

Where do you think they will be?

 

[daniel69]

C. evenly distributed

 

[Hootenanny]

C. evenly distributed

Why?

 

[daniel69]

because the particle is now negatively charged so as a whole it should be charged negatively which i think would be done by an evenly distribution of electrons

 

[Hootenanny]

because the particle is now negatively charged so as a whole it should be charged negatively which i think would be done by an evenly distribution of electrons

More specifically, the electric field inside a charged conductor must be zero and therefore all the net charge must lie on the surface.

Your answer is correct, I just wanted to make sure that you understood why.

 

[daniel69]

thanks you