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Re: Tesla Coil Operation - was "Harmonics"
Bob -
Maxwell's treatise is a great book and every coiler should study it. They
can skip over the math and still learn a lot about electricity. I have had a
copy of the Dover edition since 1954 when it was published.
I assume you mean the model designed by Maxwell and located in the
Cavendish Laboratory in England. This is called Maxwell's differential
machine in some books. The Dover editor states the model illustrates the
"induction of currents". I believe Maxwell wanted this model to represent
certain types of differential equations which fill his treatise. The primary
and secondary disks are physically connected by differential gears and
resistance is involved. The concept of energy thru space between the primary
and secondary coils is missing in this model. The parameters of mutual
inductance and coupling are not represented. Note, also, that induction is
involved with magnetic circuits where there are no resistive losses as in
electric (Ohmic) circuits.
Of course, Maxwell would not know of the Tesla coil because it was not
invented by Tesla until 27 years later.
I have never heard of Maxwell's contemporaries using sound to explain
electrical theories. However, sound waves and electromagnetic waves have
some mathematical and physical similarities. But sound waves cannot travel
in space
John Couture
------------------------------
At 06:27 PM 1/25/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Original Poster: Bob Misiura <misiura-at-nccoast-dot-net>
>
>John,
>
>James Clerk Maxwell, in "A Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism" volume
>two (still in print a century after his death) shows a mechanical model
>of induction. He used a differential gear with movable weights to
>simulate a variable inductance, and a string working as a band brake to
>simulate resistance (loss).
>
>The book is published in the UK, Canada, and US. Dover Publications
>#486-60637-6, price: $11.95 (US).
>
>Maxwell seems to be the exception, most of his contemporaries found
>analogies between sound, and the generation of sound, to explain
>electrical theories.
>
>bob misiura