CBSE Class 12-science Answered

A very good reason why the electric field within a conductor under the static situation is exactly zero. If the electric field was NOT zero electric charges within the conductor would feel an electrostatic force. Since the electrons are free to move about within the conductor, electric fields within the conductor would cause currents to flow within the conductor. These currents would occur until the resulting accumulations of charge set up their own electric fields that would be opposite the electric fields that supposedly exist within the conductor. In other words, charges within a conductor will move about until the fields caused by the charge distributions exactly cancel any electric fields that existed in the first place. This is what really happens in any conductor while equilibrium is being reached.

A similar description occurs within a hollow conductor. The electric charges on the surface of the conductor will re-arrange themselves until any electric fields within the charged conductor are exactly cancelled out.