Practice question
Question
Why can’t the electric field inside a charged insulator be zero, unlike in a conductor?
Explanation
**Dipole moment** governs torque and energy in external field. Axial field stronger than equatorial, torque maximum at θ = 90°, zero when aligned. Work done rotating dipole relates to ΔU = pE(1 - cosθ), explaining stable equilibrium at θ = 0°. In insulators, charges are fixed and cannot move to cancel an internal field. If charges are present inside, they generate a field that persists, as there are no free charges to redistribute and neutralize it, unlike in conductors. Substituting values gives Lack of free charges, which matches expected magnitude for this electrostatic configuration, confirming Coulomb's and Gauss's principles and charge quantization consistency.
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