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Equipotential surfaces are defined as surfaces over which the potential is constant
At each point on the surface, the electric field is perpendicular to the surface since the electric field, being the gradient of potential, does not have component along a surface of constant potential. |
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We have seen that any charge on a conductor must reside on its surface. These charges would move along the |
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surface if there were a tangential component of the electric field. The electric field must therefore be along the normal to the surface of a conductor. The conductor surface is, therefore, an equipotential surface. |
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Electric field lines are perpendicular to equipotential surfaces (or curves) and point in the direction from higher |
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potential to lower potential.
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In the region where the electric field is strong, the equipotentials are closely packed as the gradient is large. |
