Under electrostatic conditions,the electric field just outside the surface of any charged conductor
A) is always parallel to the surface.
B) is always zero because the electric field is zero inside conductors.
C) is always perpendicular to the surface of the conductor.
D) is perpendicular to the surface of the conductor only if it is a sphere, a cylinder, or a flat sheet.
E) can have nonzero components perpendicular to and parallel to the surface of the conductor.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Under electrostatic conditions, the electric field just outside the surface of any charged conductor is always perpendicular to the surface of the conductor. This is because the charges on the conductor will redistribute themselves such that the electric field inside the conductor is zero, and the electric field just outside the surface is perpendicular to the surface. This is true for any shape of the conductor, not just spheres, cylinders or flat sheets.

Under Electrostatic Conditions,the Electric Field Just Outside the Surface of Any