Question

ASSERTION: A steady current is flowing in a conductor therefore there will be an electric field within the conductor.
REASON: In case of steady current, there will be no accumulation of charges, hence no electric field can be developed.

Answer 1

Hint: The assertion and the reason given in the question is contradictory. Assertion conveys the information that there is an electric field inside the conductor and the reason is just opposite to that which tells the absence of electric field inside a conductor. Current is the flow of electric charges per a unit time period.

Complete answer:
Steady currents will be flowing in continuous loops only. The current flowing inside will be equivalent to the current flowing out. If the conditions were not like this, then the charge would have accumulated at the point, creating its own electric field there. This field would have exerted an extra force on the moving charges, which will disturb the steady current flow. The electric field developed in a uniform wire having a fixed cross-sectional area will be carrying a steady current as the same everywhere. If this was not the situation, then the electrons would have moved with different velocities in various sections, and charges will be accumulated in some specific parts. The field created by these charges would disturb the steady current. Therefore the statement given as reason is correct. The assertion statement says that the electric field will be produced within the conductor itself. This is just opposite to that of the reason statement.
Hence the assertion is incorrect but reason is correct.

Note: A constant or a steady current is defined as the time-independent current or the stationary current. This current is a type of direct current which will not vary its intensity with time. Steady state is reached after the transient state.