Electric field lines in the vicinity of a conductor are oriented perpendicularly to the surface and terminate at the conductor’s surface.

Electric field lines serve as a visual representation of the electric field at any given point in space. These are imaginary lines drawn in such a way that at each point, their direction corresponds to the direction of the electric field at that location. Near a conductor, the behavior of these lines is influenced by the unique properties of conductive materials.

Conductors are substances that facilitate the free movement of electric charges. When an external electric field is applied to a conductor, the free electrons within the conductor respond by moving in accordance with the field. This movement generates an induced electric field inside the conductor that opposes the external electric field. In a state of electrostatic equilibrium, the net electric field within the conductor is zero. This occurs because the charges redistribute themselves across the conductor’s surface until the electric field inside is completely canceled out.

Due to this redistribution of charges, electric field lines near a conductor are perpendicular to its surface. This perpendicular arrangement is necessary because electric field lines must either originate or terminate on charges, which reside on the surface of the conductor. If the field lines were parallel to the surface, it would suggest the presence of a component of the electric field within the conductor, a situation that cannot exist in electrostatic equilibrium.

Moreover, electric field lines terminate at the surface of the conductor. Since the electric field inside the conductor is zero, there are no field lines present within it. The external field lines conclude on the negative charges located on the surface of the conductor.

In conclusion, the behavior of electric field lines near a conductor is dictated by the intrinsic properties of conductors and the fundamental principles of electrostatics. These lines are perpendicular to the conductor’s surface and terminate at the surface, illustrating the redistribution of charges on the conductor’s exterior and the cancellation of the electric field within the conductor.