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Re: Tesla Coil Operation - was "Harmonics"
Bob -
My concept of space? A very busy place! For starters every charge in the
universe has an electric field that extends to infinity in space. All
electromagnetic radiation in space extends to infinity and there are
billions of different frequencies. Why don't these frequencies interfere
with each other? And then there are gravitational fields, and maybe other
fields we haven't detected as yet.
As for particles, there are many in the local space surrounding stars. But
the vacuum is still better than any obtainable on earth. In outer space (the
space between the stars) astronomers say there is only one hydrogen atom per
10 cubic meters. Because of the vastness of space this invisible matter
accounts for over 98% of the matter in the universe. A Tesla coil would work
differently in this part of the universe. There would be no random extra
long sparks.
When he was 21 Hertz did study under both Helmholtz and Kirchoff at the
University of Berlin in 1878. You are correct in that Hertz studied
resonance and Maxwell's electromagnetic waves at this time. In 1888 Hertz
published his paper "On Electric Radiation" describing his famous discovery
of radio waves.
What mechnical model would I use to explain the Tesla coil operation? I
think there are several mechnical models to explain some of the TC
operation. These have already been mentioned by coilers in past posts.
However, there are no mechanical models to describe the operation of certain
parts of the TC like the transfer of energy from primary to secondary coil
by induction with no losses. Any mechanical model would include friction and
losses. Another TC operation that may be impossible to model is the
operating spark gap. This involves thermodynamics and entropy. Magnetic
circuits do not involve temperature or entropy.
John Couture
--------------------------------------
At 01:04 PM 1/29/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Original Poster: Bob Misiura <misiura-at-nccoast-dot-net>
>
>John,
>
>I agree with everything you say. Philosophically, I think we differ on
>the concept of "space." I don't think of space or vacuum as being
>empty, just less cluttered with particles. I'm not so sure that
>electromagnetic waves aren't traveling through a medium, even in space.
>
>If I have the history right, Helmholtz was Hertz's teacher and mentor.
>Helmholtz was studying resonance in air. There are vast differences
>between the methods of production of electromagnetic resonance and sound
>resonance, but too many similarities in the behavior of the waves
>themselves.
>
>It was Helmholtz who produced and proved the idea of "sympathetic
>vibrations" or causing a tuned cavity to resonate in sympathy with an
>audio source tuned to the same frequency. He also experimented with the
>constructive and destructive interference of sound waves and harmonics.
>
>Hertz already had an understanding of resonance and interference when he
>went to work proving the same behavior existed in the electromagnetic
>waves that Maxwell predicted.
>
>What mechanical model would you use to explain Tesla coil operation (if
>you had to use a mechanical model)?
>
>bob misiura
>
>
>