Question

Sketch the electric field lines in the vicinity of the conductor in Figure given the field was originally uniform and parallel to the object’s long axis. Is the resulting field small near the long side of the object?

Figure

Short answer

The electric field lines originate from positive and terminate on negative. Yes, the resulting field is smaller near the long side of the object.

Step-by-step solution

Conductor in an electric field

In a conductor, the outer electrons are weakly bonded to the atom. These electrons are almost free to move throughout the body of the material.

Whenever a conductor is placed in an electric field, the free electrons redistribute themselves on the surface of the conductor in such a way that the electric field is zero inside the conductor.

Electric field lines in the presence of a conductor

When a conductor is placed inside the electric field (say left to right), the field exerts force on the free electrons from left to right. The electron moves towards the left. Thus, the left face becomes negatively charged and the right face becomes positively charged.

Thus, the electric field lines in the vicinity of the conductor is represented as,

Electric field lines in the vicinity of the conductor

From the figure, it is observed that the electric field lines on the conductor placed in an electric field line are smaller near the long side and greater near the smaller side.

Hence, the resulting field is smaller near the long side of the object.