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Physics
Classical Physics
Electromagnetism
Why can't excess charges leave the surface of a conductor?
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[QUOTE="lawsonfurther, post: 5931864, member: 637199"] My question is basically similar to a thread that was posted 12 years ago: [URL]https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/electrons-flying-off-a-conductor.119269/[/URL] I was glad to see that there was already a thread which asked my question in the forum. But when I read through all of the discussion, I don't quite understand the two possible origin of the work function. (See #7 post from ZapperZ.) He mentioned that one possible origin is coulombic charge and explained it as following, "When an electron tries to leave a conductor, it is going to leave a neutral object and causing it to be positively charged momentarily." So I am wondering what if those excess charges(or electrons) actually came from contacting with external charged object. In this case, those excess electrons on the conductor will repel each other, thus giving a force to one another. So what force is actually keeping them from leaving the surface of a conductor? And microscopically speaking, where does this force come from? Besides, when those electrons are trying to leave the conductor, should there be a tendency to make the conductor neutral? If so, how was the work function introduced in physics? Or maybe someone can explain the second possible origin more plainly to me. I am still in the first year of university.:smile: Thanks. [/QUOTE]
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Physics
Classical Physics
Electromagnetism
Why can't excess charges leave the surface of a conductor?
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