Question

How can there be a nonzero electric field inside a wire in a circuit? Isn’t the electric field inside a metal always zero?

Short answer

The field inside a wire in a circuit is non zero due to the absence of an opposing electric field because there is no accumulation of charges anywhere

Step-by-step solution

Given data

Electric field inside a wire in a circuit is non-zero.

Concept of steady state

A conductor with a continuous and steady flow of charges is said to be in a steady state.

Determination of the reason why the electric field inside a wire in a circuit is non-zero

A wire in a circuit is in a steady state. Due to the application of the external electric field, the free charges are in continuous motion. There is thus no accumulation of charge anywhere and all parts of the wire are electrically neutral. Hence no opposing field is set up inside the wire to cancel the external electric field. Thus the field inside is non-zero.