Re: Dielectric characteristic

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Mark Fergerson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <mfergerson1-at-home-dot-com>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
<A123X-at-aol-dot-com>
> 
> I understand that in lossy dielectrics they waste the energy into heat, but I
> don't really understand what causes this to happen. What causes it to occur
> more in some dielectric than others? Also does only the surface of the
> dielectric affect loss? Is the dielectric constant only that of the surface?

  Lossy dielectrics are made up of polar molecules, like frinst water.
The impressed AC electric field yanks the molecules first one way then
the other. It's a volume effect assuming the field isn't attenuated
too much trying to penetrate.

  That's not meant to imply that nonpolar materials aren't lossy but
ISTR there's another mechanism involved.

  Mark L. Fergerson