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indigojoker
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why can't there be an electric field in a conductor?
I guess you are talking about a conductor at equilibrium.
indigojoker said:what other cases are there and why would there be an electric field in the conductor?
According to Ohm's Law, in a perfect conductor, the electric field must be zero. This is because the electrons in a conductor are free to move and will immediately align themselves in a way that cancels out any external electric field.
The presence of free electrons in a conductor allows for the easy flow of electricity, but it also means that any external electric field will be quickly neutralized. The electrons will move in response to the electric field, creating an opposing field that cancels it out.
In theory, there can be a small electric field in a conductor if it is not a perfect conductor and has some resistance. However, this field would be extremely small and would dissipate quickly due to the movement of free electrons.
When a conductor reaches equilibrium, the electric field becomes zero because the free electrons have evenly distributed themselves throughout the conductor. This creates a state of balance where there is no net movement of electrons, resulting in a zero electric field.
In a conductor, the absence of an electric field does not affect its ability to conduct electricity. In fact, it is necessary for a conductor to have a zero electric field in order for electricity to flow freely through it. The presence of an electric field would disrupt the movement of free electrons and hinder the flow of electricity.