Why does the inside of a conductor have the same electric potential everywhere?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of electric potential within a conductor, specifically addressing why the electric potential is uniform throughout the interior of a conductor under certain conditions. The scope includes theoretical explanations and conceptual clarifications related to electrostatics and equilibrium states.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the uniform electric potential in a conductor is due to the free movement of electrons within it.
  • One participant notes that the statement about uniform potential is only valid if the conductor is in equilibrium.
  • Another participant explains that if there were a potential difference within the conductor, charge flow would occur until the potential gradient disappears, emphasizing the importance of equilibrium.
  • It is mentioned that in electronic devices, the conducting channel may be out-of-equilibrium, resulting in a potential gradient across it.
  • A participant discusses the role of electric fields and charge distribution in achieving a state where the potential is uniform, indicating that charges move to create a compensating polarization field.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the conditions under which the electric potential is uniform in a conductor, indicating that multiple competing perspectives remain regarding the role of equilibrium and non-equilibrium states.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about equilibrium and the behavior of charges in different scenarios are not fully explored, leaving room for further discussion on the implications of these conditions.

lifeiseasy
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My teacher said so, but I just don't understand why. Is it because of the free movement of electrons inside the conductor?
 
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lifeiseasy said:
My teacher said so, but I just don't understand why. Is it because of the free movement of electrons inside the conductor?
That statement is only true if the conductor is in equilibrium.
 
Think of it this way: If the potential wasn't zero everywhere in the conductor, due to the many free electrons in a good conductor, there would be charge flow against this potential gradient and the gradient would vanish very quickly.

But as Hootenanny pointed out, this is true only for equilibrium. In an electronic device where you want steady state current flow, the conducting channel is always out-of-equilibrium and there's a potential gradient across it.
 
lifeiseasy said:
My teacher said so, but I just don't understand why. Is it because of the free movement of electrons inside the conductor?

Yes. If there is a potential difference, it means existence of an electrical field E and the force eE. In a conductor the charges move until their new charge distribution creates a polarisation field compensating the external one.
 

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