Re: How to explain what a Tesla coil is....

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

Original poster: "Christopher Boden by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com>

Bob, this is what I do for a living :) Here's a few tips that I use...

To explain Volts and Amps, use water, it's something that the "Normal" 
people can relate to a LOT better than
diagrams and formulae. It's this simple, Electricity is like water in a 
pipe, where Volts is the pressure and Amps is teh diameter of the pipe. This 
isn't terribly accurate, but it works for the basics (Pingpong balls in a 
tube is a lot better, but I use that for explaining how electricity moves).

For the concept of resonance (the heart of the coils operation), use the 
analogy of a swingset :) A small amount of energy applied at the right 
moment can add up to a greatly amplified display of power. Every kid that 
has ever come into one of our classes has been able to understand water and 
swingsets :) This works on kids of all ages too.



duck




Christopher A. Boden Geek#1
President / C.E.O. / Alpha Geek
The Geek Group
www.thegeekgroup-dot-org
Because the Geek shall inherit the Earth!



>Original poster: "Bob Bozarth by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" 
><jbdetails-at-prodigy-dot-net>
>
>     Hi all, \
>
>     This has been my biggest problem when I go up to my Parents house, or 
>to
>visit my Grandmother. I try to explain, but I start off wrong, or I just am 
>not
>making sense. I am the only one in my entire family with interests such as
>coiling. Granted, I knew nothing about them either a year ago, but as soon 
>as I
>found out such a thing could be fabricated I had to investigate. What might 
>be
>a good way to explain in a paragraph or two what a Tesla coil is and does? 
>Is
>it important to explain anything about Nic. Tesla and how it all started or
>should I keep it real basic. Remember that my Dad is a truck driver, my Mom 
>has
>been a housewife for 30 some years, as well as my Grandmother. I even need 
>a
>simple way to explain to my Brother who is a father of three boys and works 
>in
>the shipping dept. of a CNC machine shop. Just to give you an idea what I 
>have
>to deal with.
>     Thanks for any input, I already tried to fumble my way through it.
>Bob Bozarth
>
>
>