Charge on conductors: 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 charges on conductors reside only on the surface and redistribute themselves under the influence of the electric field until the electric field is perpendicular to the surface. The charge distribution and resulting electric field are such that there can be no electric field inside a conductor in electrostatic equilibrium.

Charge on Conductors: Under Electrostatic Conditions, the Electric Field Just