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Electric fields inside conductors

For the region inside a conductor, why is E = 0? Hyperphysics says "Any net electric field in the conductor would cause charge to move since it is abundant and mobile. This violates the condition of equilibrium: net force =0". Don't charges move in conductors anyway?? :frown:

Any help appreciated, thanx.
Reply 1
Avatar for elpaw
elpaw
15
yes, if there was a field inside a conductor, the electrons would move in the direction of the field, untill all the electrons' fields counterbalanced the external field, like ina capacitor.

when conductors are used a s conductors (unsurprisingly), electrons are continuously removed from one end and inserted in the other end, which means they never get a chance to settle in an equilibrium to counterbalance the external field.
Reply 2
Avatar for Nylex
Nylex
OP
10
Tbph elpaw, you know your sh.. stuff. Thanks :smile:.
Reply 3
Avatar for john !!
john !!
14
What happens if you attach a wire to two positive terminals, and turn the voltage up really high? Do the electrons cram together? Is there a voltage where you can actually "squash" the electron density?

*inquisitive mood*
Reply 4
Avatar for qqqwwweee
qqqwwweee
2
mik1a
What happens if you attach a wire to two positive terminals, and turn the voltage up really high? Do the electrons cram together? Is there a voltage where you can actually "squash" the electron density?

*inquisitive mood*


The voltage and thus the potential is only a relative term. A high voltage means a high potential relative to the ground.
Therefore, provided that the potentials of the terminals are the same, there is no difference no matter how high the voltage is. So i think the electron density is uniform.

From another perspective, there is no electric field in the wire since the potentials are the same. So no force is acted on the electrons.
Reply 5
Avatar for elpaw
elpaw
15
but you could have one terminal at a high PD to the other terminal, and connect them by a wire (short circuit). the wire would probably burn out before any "electron cramming" effects were seen. in any case, pauli's exclusion principle would stop them collapsing into one superelectron.
Reply 6
Avatar for john !!
john !!
14
I suppose you would cram them slightly at any voltage, because there has to me a slight delay between repulsions to satisfy the fact that electricity can't travel faster than the speed of light.

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