I don't understand. Of course an electric charge inside an ideal, closed conductor cannot produce or affect a field outside the conductor, just as Feynman originally stated (and just as my hardbound 1989 printing of Feynman/Leighton/Sands still says, on page 5-9.)
Otherwise, as he goes on to point out, electrostatic shielding wouldn't be possible. What am I missing?
"I must have assumed it was grounded" doesn't make much sense either, because a charge inside such a conductor has no return path to ground. Either a current will flow outside the enclosed conductor -- in which case where's the return path? -- or it won't.
Otherwise, as he goes on to point out, electrostatic shielding wouldn't be possible. What am I missing?
"I must have assumed it was grounded" doesn't make much sense either, because a charge inside such a conductor has no return path to ground. Either a current will flow outside the enclosed conductor -- in which case where's the return path? -- or it won't.