Question

A hollow metal sphere is electrically neutral (no excess charge). A small amount of negative charge is suddenly placed at one point P on this metal sphere. If we check on this excess negative charge a few seconds later, we will find one of the following possibilities:

Answer 1

The excess charge has distributed itself evenly over the outside surface of the sphere.

Step-by-step explanation:

Since the hollow sphere is a conductor, it has free electrons that can move about within the sphere. In this light, an excess charge, the like charges repels each other, therefore ensuring that charges are spread as far apart as possible. There is therefore an evenly distributed charge on the outside surface of the sphere.