Question

how does a free electrone at rest move in an electric field

Answer 1

There is no such a thing as at rest electron in the nature,so i will understand it as a charged particle and all charged particle has an electric field and the applied electric field will move the electron opposite to its direction like that:

\[Coulomb's Law = F = KQ1 Q2 / R ^{2} direction of R\]
and for the electrons on the plate to move they need Emf = breakdown voltage of the air and it depends on the distance and for 1cm about 10KV as the resistance of dry air is too high.