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QPage 338: Q4: HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2 Electromagnetic Waves Page 338: Q4 Solution: A wire carries an alternating current . Is there an electric…
⚠️ Common Exam Traps & Conceptual Pitfalls
Students often think a neutral wire carrying AC produces only a magnetic field and that the surrounding space has $\mathbf{E}=0$, forgetting that a time‑varying current creates a changing magnetic flux which, by Faraday’s law, induces a non‑zero electric field in the vicinity; always check for both the longitudinal potential gradient and the induced curl field when the current varies with time.
A wire carries an alternating current . Is there an electric field in the vicinity of the wire?
Step-by-Step Verified Solution
**Answer:** Yes, there is an electric field in the vicinity of the wire.
**Step-by-Step Explanation:**
The wire carries an alternating current, which means the potential difference across different points of the wire is changing with time. This time-varying potential creates a time-varying electric field in the space around the wire. Additionally, the changing current produces a changing magnetic field, which by Faraday's law also contributes to the electric field [citation:1].
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