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Re: Capacitor charge, were is it?

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> > Subject: Capacitor charge, were is it?
> 
> >From bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-comSat Oct 26 23:37:59 1996
> Date: Sat, 26 Oct 1996 12:35:37 -0700
> From: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: Capacitor charge, were is it?
> 
> Tesla List wrote:
> >
> > >From huffman-at-fnal.govFri Oct 25 21:56:12 1996
> > Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996 10:33:24 -0500
> > From: huffman <huffman-at-fnal.gov>
> > To: List Tesla <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> > Subject: Capacitor charge, were is it?
> >
> >     [The following text is in the "ISO-8859-1" character set]
> >     [Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set]
> >     [Some characters may be displayed incorrectly]
> >
> > Group,
> > I'm having trouble with the idea of charge being stored in the dielectric.
> > This may not be totally Tesla related but I would like some comments,
> > stones, etc.
> >
> > R. Hull post - All of the charge is held in the dielectric of the secondary
> > and not the
> > metallic components.  This is the case in all capacitors.  The plates can
> > never store charge!..  Only conduct it to a point where work can be done
> > electrodynamically.
> >
<MASSIVE SNIP>
> If you want a better explanation, please contact Dr. Fett...
> 
> I think I'll go rest for a while now - you've triggered 30 year-old
> flashbacks!  Safe coilin' to ya' Dave!
> 
> PS.. Let me know how the neons worked out for you!
> 
> -- Bert --



Good post Bert,

You've put into similar words what I just wrote in reply!  (I was away 
for the weekend.)  The charge resides in the dielectric because that is 
where the work was done.  In solid dielectrics it is referred to as 
polarization (molecular gig goin' on here).  In space, (no molecules) the 
purity of the charge retention by space itself is amazingly deceptive.  
Another point you noted is that the solid dielectric/air junction is a 
surface value or feature!  This is significant and bear back to the 
original post I made regarding interfacial points of differing dielectric 
constants.  To have a capacitor, at least one metal or conductive surface 
must be present at all times, somewhere.  The capacitors we are used to 
involve soild dielectrics and two separate plates.  Charge spearation can 
even occur between two different dielectrics.  Charges and electrostatic 
goings on are a dielectic related thing.  To make them do work we need 
the metal stuff to collect them and transport them.

I noted one post making a little jab at what would certainly be me 
regarding to much theoretical concerns here.  Man this is where theory 
shines and fails.  It seems its all theory and real hard to grasp 
intuitively.  Frankly, I think a lot of thoughts on this area are just 
that!  There is only one true physical reality but lots of thoughts and 
intellectual wind gusts.  I'm not so sure science has the grip on this 
subject to the degree they would like.  We got equations up the wazoo 
which when solved yield solutions to real work problems but the little 
minutia and quatum goes on at the gut level are still just a crap shoot 
in our understanding.  No one really knows more than a broad overview. 
(more than sufficient for real world apps)

Richard Hull, TCBOR