Librium there cannot be any freecharge inside a metal however is a pos...
Understanding Charge Movement in Metals
In metals, free charges are abundant and can move freely. However, if a charge is placed in the interior of a conductor, it will eventually redistribute itself and move to the surface.
Key Concepts
- **Conductivity (σ)**: The ability of a material to conduct electric current. For metals, this value can be expressed as σ = 10^6 S/m (Siemens per meter).
- **Dielectric Constant (ε₀)**: This is the permittivity of free space, approximately equal to 8.85 x 10^-12 F/m (Farads per meter).
Time for Charge to Move to Surface
To calculate the time it takes for the charge to move to the surface, we can use the relationship between conductivity, dielectric constant, and mobility of charge carriers.
- **Mobility (μ)**: It can be defined as the ratio of the drift velocity of charge carriers to the electric field. The time (t) for the charge to rediscover itself can be approximated by the formula:
t ≈ ε₀ / σ
- **Calculation**:
- Substituting the known values:
t ≈ (8.85 x 10^-12 F/m) / (10^6 S/m)
t ≈ 8.85 x 10^-18 s
Thus, the time for the charge to dissipate to the surface of the metal is approximately 8.85 femtoseconds.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while metals can hold charges momentarily, they are quick to redistribute these charges to the surface due to their high conductivity, leading to an extremely short time frame for charge movement.