An astronaut is in an all-metal chamber outside the space station when a solar storm results in the deposit of a large positive charge on the station. Which statement is correct?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The astronaut does not need to worry because, according to the principle of electrostatic shielding, in a charged conductor, the excess charge resides on the outer surface, leaving the electric field inside the conductor (and thus inside the chamber) zero. This means the astronaut inside the all-metal chamber is unaffected by the external charge.

An Astronaut Is in an All-Metal Chamber Outside the Space