14. In electrostatic equilibrium, the electric field just outside any charged con-
ductor is
(A) always zero;
(B) always perpendicular to the surface of the
conductor;
(C)always parallel to the surface of the conductor, along the gra-
dient of the surface charge distribution;
(D) always parallel to the surface,
but perpendicular to the gradient of the surface charge distribution,
(E) of no
particular direction.