Re: fluorescent tube question

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

Original poster: "Mark Fergerson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <mfergerson1-at-cox-dot-net>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"
<davep-at-quik-dot-com>
> 
> Hi Dave:
> (we gonna get someone confused...  8)>>)

  Oh, good, can I help?

> Tesla list wrote:
> 
> > Original poster: "David Thomson by way of Terry Fritz
> ><twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <dave-at-volantis-dot-org>
> 
> > Hi Dave,
> 
> > > How does the output of a tesla coil light a fluorescent tube from a
> > > distance without direct contact?
> 
> >       The tube lights, largely, from current flows thru the tube.
> 
> > Not quite.
> 
>         cf any text on fluorescents.  The description is exact.

  Yup. No current, no energy transfer, no light.

<snip>

> > It's the high energy state of the voltage and charge that excites the
> > mercury and other gasses within the tube and causes photo
> > phosphorescence.

  Er, recall that charge _in motion_ = current.

>         Possibly.  I suggest this is to be verified by careful
>         experiment.  Thus i proposed adding 'capacity areas'
>         to the terminals.  

  Along about here I started wondering whether anyone else
is noticing the 'capacity area' of the topload and the
'capacity area' to be added to the fluoro tube form a
capacitor. In order for the tube to carry current, the
current has to get past the capacitor.

  Now, most of us will agree that this will work in a
vacuum. Is this a demonstration of displacement current?

  Mark L. Fergerson