alleryStart learning →How does a conductor carrying a steady current differ from a conductor in static equilibrium?
AIt has zero net charge on it
BIt has a uniform temperature
CIt has no free electrons in it
DIt has an electric field inside it
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. It has an electric field inside it
1. A conductor in static equilibrium can hold no electric field in its interior.
2. A conductor carrying a current is not in static equilibrium, and it does hold an interior field.
3. That field is what supplies the energy needed to keep the charges moving.
4. A current carrying wire can still be electrically neutral overall, so zero net charge does not distinguish the two cases.
5. Free electrons are present in both cases, so their presence is not the difference either.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 20 "Electric Current, Resistance, and Ohm's Law", section 20.1 Current_
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