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A new sequence of measurements.
If a net charge really accumulates in the dielectric sheet then its
presence
should be detectable when the entire capacitor (two aluminum blocks
and a Lexan sheet) is lowered into the Faraday cup after being
discharged.
But this does not happen; the net charge on the entire capacitor is
zero.
We checked this several times. And we know that a net charge appears
on Lexan after it is removed from the dissectable capacitor and lowered
into the Faraday cup (see data below).
It might mean that the observed net charge in Lexan is masked by the
aluminum blocks in contact with it; one must remove the blocks to see
a net charge. Or it might mean that a net charge is introduced from
outside
in the process of separation. The algebraic sum of net charges in a
system
of three objects could not be changed by the process of their
separation.
Chains of dipoles create equal and opposite bound charges on the
surfaces
of Lexan. These polarize metallic plates producing attractive forces. We
overcome these forces to separate aluminum plates from the dielectric
sheet. How can this result in a net charge on Lexan?
Here are the measured net charges (after keeping Lexan under 4 kV for
time t).
experiment # 1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9
time t (min) 10 10 10 11 13 10 42
140 870
Q (arb. units) +70 +77 +95 -20 +82 -5 +70 +84 +82
Experiments 4 and 6 show that reversals were not totally eliminated by
performing separations of aluminum plates as far away from grounded
objects as possible. One person holds aluminum plates in two hands and
pulls them away symmetrically while the other is holding the Lexan sheet
by the insulating handle. It is time to built a setup by which aluminum
plates are separated from the dielectric without being touched directly.
Perhaps this will finally eliminate reversals.
Ludwik Kowalski