an experiment with di

To: Tesla <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
Subject: an experiment with di
From: Alan Jones <alan.jones-at-kaboodle-dot-com>
Date: Sat, 20 Jul 1996 22:22:00 GMT
Richard Hull said:
 
 > You would be amazed at how many people actually believe that the
 > charge  is held in or on the plates of a capacitor!  The plates are
 > only a way to 
 > apply a gradient to the dielectric and to drain it.  The charge is 
 > always retained 100% within the dielectric!  The plates are rather 
 > superfluous and not required.  They incapable of storing energy
 > except as  an isotropic capacitance in air or free space where these
 > media (k=1)are  the dielectric. 
 > 
 > I would be glad to discuss this matter further, if you wish.
 > 
 > 
 > Richard Hull, Tesla Coil Builders of Richmond
                                                        
I just watched your video #52 where the gentleman was showing charging
a cap and then taking it apart and putting it back together again. Why
didn't it discharge when he handled it? If he had touched both plates
at the same time he would have received a nasty shock and we would all
have had a chuckle at his jumping around, after seeing that he was
alright, of course.

But he handled all three pieces of the cap including the dielectric
and didn't get any shock. Yet after putting the cap back together, he
drew a spark by shorting the plates. If the charge is held in the
dielectric, then why didn't it discharge when he picked it up. He
handled both sides of the plastic and skin is conductive, so what
gives? And would there have been a discharge if he had just touched
the jumper wire to each side of the plastic without it being
sandwiched between the plates?

I wish I had a piece of plastic laying around, I would try this
experiment and see. Knowing my luck, I would get zapped <g>.

Alan

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