Why there is no [1]electric field inside a hollow conductor/insulator ? [2] And electric field lines either ?

Question

Please explain or provide links/references.

Answer 1

For a perfect conductor, if there were an electric field across any part of the conductor, current would flow until all free charge was uniformly distributed, no steady-state current would flow, and the entire conductor would be at the same potential. Since the conductor is hollow, there is no free charge in the space inside the conductor, so the potential is uniform everywhere and there is no electric field.

An 'electric field line' is simply a graphical way of representing the spatial variation of an electric field. There is no variation in a uniform field, so no field lines.

For a conductor that is not perfect, there will be an electric field in the direction of the current flow.

Nothing prevents electric field variation within an insulator.

Answer 2

The definition of a conductor is that it cannot support an electic field. Electric fields are created by potential differences over a distance. Since the electric field in a conductor must be zero, the potential at all points of a conductor must be the same. If something is surrounded by a conductor, and there are no field sources (charges) inside, then there can be no potential difference between any two points inside. In the absence of potential difference, there can be no field. "Electric field" and "Electric field lines" are the same thing.

An electric field can exist inside an insulator.

Answer 3

Hollow Conductor

Answer 4

A "field line" is DEFINED to be a line which connects ALL points in space which have the same potential. A 2nd separate "field line" would connect all points which have the equal potentials (again), but which potential is different from the 1st one. And so on.... Its just a way of visualising a field. Having SAID that .. if 2 such equi-potential lines crossed, then that would mean that AT the point they cross, the field has TWO distinct potential values at the same time. Which is obviously not possible. This is the same concept as the contour lines on a map of a mountain (or a myriad of such diagrams) where each contour line marks all points which are at the same HEIGHT. Obviously no two height lines could cross - because how could a single point on the mountain have 2 different heights ? see ? :)

Answer 5

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Electric field lines reveal information about the direction (and the strength) of an electric field within a region of space. If the lines cross each other at a given location, then there must be two distinctly different values of electric field with their own individual direction at that given location. This could never be the case. Every single location in space has its own electric field strength and direction associated with it. Consequently, the lines representing the field cannot cross each other at any given location in space. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++...

Answer 6

I'm not too sure but I think its because there's no electric charge inside. It is kinda like how there is no gravity inside a hollow sphere I think.

Answer 7

its because all electric field lines cancel each other.
even if u take a ring having uniform electric charge it will be having 0 charge inside it