Electric Fields and Ionic Solutions

The video tutorial discusses how polarization occurs in macroscopic samples of conductors and insulators. It begins with insulators, explaining how an electric field induces a dipole moment by shifting electrons and nuclei slightly. The tutorial then covers ionic solutions, like saltwater, where ions move in response to an electric field, leading to polarization. Finally, it examines metals, where conduction electrons shift to create polarization. The video includes examples and questions to reinforce understanding of polarization in different materials.

What happens to a neutral atom when an electric field is applied?

• The atom remains unchanged.

• The electrons and nucleus shift relative to each other.

• The atom becomes a conductor.

• The atom becomes a permanent dipole.

In an insulator, how do the charges behave when an external electric field is applied?

• They move large distances.

• They remain completely stationary.

• They shift slightly without moving large distances.

• They become free to move like in a conductor.

What is the net electric field inside an insulator when an external field is applied?

• Not equal to the external field.

• Equal to the external field.

• Zero.

• Greater than the external field.

How do ions in an ionic solution respond to an external electric field?

• They form a solid structure.

• They remain stationary.

• Positive ions move in the direction of the field, and negative ions move opposite.

• Both positive and negative ions move in the same direction.

What condition is reached in an ionic solution when the net electric field inside is zero?

• The solution becomes a solid.

• The solution becomes an insulator.

• The solution is in equilibrium.

• The solution loses its dipole moment.

In metals, what happens to conduction electrons when an external electric field is applied?

• They move in the same direction as the field.

• They remain fixed.

• They become part of the lattice structure.

• They shift opposite to the applied field.

What is the net electric field inside a conductor in equilibrium?

• Equal to the external field.

• Zero.

• Greater than the external field.

• Less than the external field.

How does the external electric field affect a conductor in equilibrium?

• It remains unchanged.

• It causes the conductor to become an insulator.

• It is blocked by the conductor.

• It is amplified inside the conductor.

What is the role of the polarization field in a conductor?

• It enhances the external field.

• It causes the conductor to heat up.

• It opposes the external field to make the net field zero.

• It has no effect on the external field.

What happens to the electric field inside a conductor when it is not in equilibrium?

• It causes currents to flow.

• It becomes zero.

• It becomes equal to the external field.

• It remains constant.