Free Charges and Bound Charges Inside a Conductor
What is a free charge inside a conductor?
The electrons feel force that is larger than the force of the nucleus when an electric field is applied, which enables them to travel to the electropositive end.
What is the meaning of bound charge?
The bound charge means that the charged particle is tied to another element, preventing it from moving freely in the presence of an external electrical field or potential.
Are there bound charges in a conductor?
Yes, there are bound charges in a conductor
What are bound charges examples?
Bound charges are proton in case of conductor while in case of dielectric both electron and proton are bound charges
What is the distinguishing factor between free charges and bound charges?
Free charges can have zero energy since they are not connected to the nucleus. On the other hand, a bound charge can only have quantized energy since it is bound to the nucleus.
What are dielectric materials?
Dielectric materials are a particular class of insulator that polarize when exposed to an electric field.
Free Charges and Bound Charges Inside a Conductor
In a conductor there are two types of charges namely free charges and bound charges. Free charges are those which are not bound to nucleus of an atom and are able to move from one atom to another when they gain energy. However, bound charges are those which are attached inside nucleus and can’t move from one atom to another. The free charges are electrons, which are responsible for flow of electric current and the bound charges are protons, which contribute to the unique properties of conductor.
In this article, we will learn in detail about free and bound charges inside a conductor and their significance.