Sphere Charge
Under electrostatic conditions the electric field inside a solid conducting sphere is zero. Outside the sphere the electric field drops off as 1 / r^2, as though all of the excess charge on the sphere were concentrated at its center.
Check Your Understanding
In a solid sphere of charge the electric field grows linearly with distance. Inside the charged spherical shell at right (r<a) what does the electric field do?
A. Constant and Zero
B. Constant but Non-Zero
C. Still grows linearly
D. Some other functional form (use Gauss ‘Law)
E. Can’t determine with Gauss Law