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Re: water conductivity (specifically, ice vs water)



<<<< Since water as a dielectric for Tesla coil use seems to be
impractical, this thread is starting to loose pertinence on this list.  I
will probably start rejecting posts if they don't further the cause of
Tesla coiling in some way. - Terry >>>>


Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: "Robert W. Stephens" <rwstephens-at-headwaters-dot-com>
> 
> Tesla List wrote:
> >
> > Original Poster: Chris Tominkson <internetinbox-at-yahoo-dot-com>
> >
> > Is there anything you can add to distilled water that will make it
> > less conductive?
> > ==
> > ...Courtesy of Yahoo! Mail...
> >
> > _________________________________________________________
> > DO YOU YAHOO!?
> > Get your free -at-yahoo-dot-com address at http://mail.yahoo-dot-com
> 
> Chris,
> 
> Yes there is, freezing cold. The ions won't migrate as fast in a block
> of ice.
> 
> Robert W. Stephens

Of course, freezing water to a solid also changes its electrical
properties. For one thing, it doesn't absorb microwave energy as well,
which is why defrosting food in a microwave is tricky. The already
defrosted parts absorb energy about 100 times better than the still
frozen part, so you get cooked meat next to frozen meat.

I wouldn't be too sure that the dielectric constant of ice is 80, since
that high dielectric constant depends a lot on intermolecular forces,
which, when water is frozen into a crystal lattice might not be the
same.

If anyone is interested, I can dig up the reference that gives
dielectric properties of water in its various forms, solid, liquid, gas. 

-- 
Jim Lux                               Jet Propulsion Laboratory
ofc: 818/354-2075     114-B16         Mail Stop 161-213
lab: 818/354-2954     161-110         4800 Oak Grove Drive
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