Question

Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R).

Assertion (A): The outer body of an air craft is made of metal which protects persons sitting inside from lightning-strikes.

Reason (R): The electric field inside the cavity enclosed by a conductor is zero.

In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below :

• A. Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)
• B. (A) is correct but (R) is not correct
• C. Both (A) and (R) are correct but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A)
• D. (A) is not correct but (R) is correct

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Both (A) and (R) are correct and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)

Answer 2

The aircraft's metal body acts like a Faraday cage, redistributing the lightning's charge over its outer surface, which prevents the electric field from penetrating inside. This is due to the fact that within a conductor, the electric field is zero.