When a charge is given to a conductor the distribution of charge over its surface depends on?

When a charge is given to a conductor the distribution of charge over its surface depends on?

The distribution of charges at the outer surface does not depend on how the charges are distributed at the inner surface, since the E-field inside the body of the metal is zero. That magnitude of the charge on the outer surface does depend on the magnitude of the charge inside, however.

Is charge uniformly distributed over the surface of a conductor?

Short Answer – the surface charges on a conductor are NOT uniformly distributed. Only on the surface of a conducting sphere will you find the surface charges to be uniformly distributed.

Do conductors have surface charge?

In all conductors, charges reside on the surface. The reason for this is that conductors have free electrons, that is, the electrons are loosely attached to the nucleus of the atoms in the conductors.

How do charges distribute themselves on a conductive surface?

The mutual repulsion of excess positive charges on a spherical conductor distributes them uniformly on its surface. The resulting electric field is perpendicular to the surface and zero inside. Outside the conductor, the field is identical to that of a point charge at the center equal to the excess charge.

Why is charge on the surface of a conductor?

The net electric charge of a conductor resides entirely on its surface. (The mutual repulsion of like charges from Coulomb’s Law demands that the charges be as far apart as possible, hence on the surface of the conductor.) 2.

Why does excess charge reside on surface of conductor?

The electric field inside the conductor is zero. In case of conductors, this electric field is always equal to that of the external electric field and hence the external field is neutralized. Hence all the charges move as far away as possible, i.e. on the surface of the conductor.

Why does charge reside on the surface of a conductor?

Where is the charge in a conductor?

surface
1. The net electric charge of a conductor resides entirely on its surface. (The mutual repulsion of like charges from Coulomb’s Law demands that the charges be as far apart as possible, hence on the surface of the conductor.)

Why charge is on the surface of a conductor?

Where is the charge distributed in a conductor?

The distribution of charge is the result of electron movement. Since conductors allow for electrons to be transported from particle to particle, a charged object will always distribute its charge until the overall repulsive forces between excess electrons is minimized.

What is the charge when a conductor is charged?

The electric field lines either begin or end upon a charge and in the case of a conductor, the charge exists solely upon its outer surface. The lines extend from this surface outward, not inward. This of course presumes that our conductor does not surround a region of space where there was another charge.

Where do charges reside in a charged conductor?

The electric charges in a charged conductor reside on the surface of the conductor. This is because from the Coulomb’s law we know that the mutual repulsion between like charges demands that the charges be as far apart as possible, hence on the surface of the conductor.

How is charge distributed over a conductor?

If the surface of the conductor is smooth and regular, like a sphere, the charges will push each other away until they all end up exactly the same distance from each other. Charge will be evenly distributed over the surface of a regularly shaped conductor.

What is the distribution of charge on a sphere?

Charge distributes uniformly on uniform surfaces (like that of a sphere). Charge distributes uniformly over surfaces when in contact with them. When the surface of the charged sphere contacts the discharged sphere, the charge is split between the two surfaces evenly.

Why is there no electric charge on the interior of a conductor?

There is no electrostatic field on the interior surface, and therefore no electric charge will be found there. Charge does not accumulate equally on unlike surfaces. On a conducting surface, more charge will accumulate at a surface with a shorter radius of curvature than at a point with a longer one.

What is the electrostatic field at the surface of a conductor?

The electrostatic field at the surface of a charged conductor must be normal to the surface at every point. There is no net charge at any point inside the conductor, and any excess charge will always reside on the surface. The potential difference between any two points inside or on the surface of the conductor is zero.