Free electrons in an accelerated metal?

In summary, when a conductor is accelerated and then subjected to a region of negative charge, the free electrons are repelled and many collect at the opposite side. The electrons in orbit around the nucleus are affected the most, and their orbits shift towards the front of the object.
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M de L
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TL;DR Summary
What happens to free electrons in an accelerated metal?
I take a conductor and expose one side to a nearby region of negative charge. The metal's free electrons are repelled, and many collect at the opposite side to the charged region. High School stuff.

Okay, so now I accelerate the metal in one direction. What happens to the free electrons...do they slosh up against the side of the metal, the same way water does in an accelerated bottle?
 
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Welcome to PF.
The amount of 'slosh' in the free electrons will be determined by the mass of an electron multiplied by the acceleration, which is a force; balanced by the repulsive forces between the distributed free electrons.
 
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...so I drop a cube of metal, and for the brief moment when it strikes the ground, there is an electrical potential measurable between the top and bottom sides? Prolly not a large one, I imagine?
 
  • #5
When you hammer in a nail, free electrons move towards the point of impact where the hammer hits the nail.
 
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  • #6
M de L said:
...so I drop a cube of metal, and for the brief moment when it strikes the ground, there is an electrical potential measurable between the top and bottom sides?
No, because the electrons and ions accelerate together. Neither has to pull or push the other.
 
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Okay, so I conduct away all the free electrons in a cube of metal, by hammering it against an earth. My conductor is now an insulator. What happens then?
 
  • #8
Vanadium 50 said:
No, because the electrons and ions accelerate together. Neither has to pull or push the other.
That is true during the fall, but on impact the metal stops due to bond forces, while the free electrons take slightly longer to reduce their momentum, so they produce a small voltage pulse, negative at the bottom, positive at the top.
 
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  • #9
M de L said:
Summary:: What happens to free electrons in an accelerated metal?

I take a conductor and expose one side to a nearby region of negative charge. The metal's free electrons are repelled, and many collect at the opposite side to the charged region. High School stuff.

Okay, so now I accelerate the metal in one direction. What happens to the free electrons...do they slosh up against the side of the metal, the same way water does in an accelerated bottle?
What happens to the electrons that are in orbit, does the orbit shift and become closer to the front of the accelerated object?
 
  • #10
paradisePhysicist said:
What happens to the electrons that are in orbit, does the orbit shift and become closer to the front of the accelerated object?
What orbit? Low Earth orbit?
 
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  • #11
berkeman said:
What orbit? Low Earth orbit?
I mean the electrons in the orbital, the electron shell.
 
  • #12
Lord Jestocost said:
It's called the Stewart-Tolman effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stewart–Tolman_effect
Thank you for a most interesting paper. I noticed that the ballistic galvanometer used could detect a charge in the order of 10^-8 Coulombs, an extraordinary feat.
 
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FAQ: Free electrons in an accelerated metal?

What are free electrons in an accelerated metal?

Free electrons in an accelerated metal refer to the electrons that are not bound to a specific atom and are able to move freely within the metal. These electrons are responsible for the electrical conductivity of metals.

How are free electrons accelerated in a metal?

Free electrons in a metal can be accelerated by applying an external electric field. This field causes the electrons to move in a specific direction, resulting in an electric current.

What is the role of free electrons in the production of electricity?

Free electrons are crucial in the production of electricity as they are responsible for the flow of electric current. When a metal is connected to a circuit, the free electrons are able to move from one atom to another, creating a flow of electricity.

How do free electrons contribute to the thermal conductivity of metals?

Free electrons in metals also play a role in thermal conductivity. As they move freely within the metal, they transfer kinetic energy to neighboring atoms, resulting in the transfer of heat. This is why metals are good conductors of both electricity and heat.

Can free electrons be found in non-metallic materials?

Free electrons are not typically found in non-metallic materials, as they are bound to specific atoms and do not have the ability to move freely. However, some non-metallic materials, such as graphite, have a small number of free electrons that allow them to conduct electricity to some degree.

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