The charges produce an electric field outside the conductor. On the surface of conductors in electrostatic equilibrium, the electric field is always perpendicular to the surface. ... Because if not, charges on the surface of the conductors would move with the electric field.

Charge Distribution on a Conductor's Surface

Conductors are materials that allow the flow of electric charges. When a conductor is charged, the excess charge resides on its surface rather than being distributed evenly throughout its volume. This phenomenon is known as charge distribution on a conductor's surface.

Coulomb's Law

According to Coulomb's Law, like charges repel each other. When excess charge is introduced to a conductor, it will repel other like charges to the outer surface of the conductor. This repulsion forces the charges to move as far away from each other as possible, which results in the charge accumulating on the surface of the conductor.

Electrostatic Equilibrium

In electrostatic equilibrium, the charges on a conductor are at rest because the electric field inside the conductor is zero. This means that any excess charge added to the conductor will distribute itself in such a way that the electric field inside the conductor is canceled out. As a result, the charges accumulate on the surface of the conductor to achieve this equilibrium.

Surface Tension

Another factor that influences charge distribution on a conductor's surface is surface tension. The surface of a conductor behaves like a stretched elastic membrane, causing the excess charges to spread out evenly on the surface to minimize the energy of the system.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the charge given to a conductor resides on its surface due to Coulomb's Law, electrostatic equilibrium, and surface tension. This phenomenon is essential to understand the behavior of charged conductors in various electrical systems.