Re: Voltaic Pile of Confusion

[Bob Sciamanda <trebor@VELOCITY.NET>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bernard G. Cleyet & Nancy Ann Seese" <georgeann@REDSHIFT.COM>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2000 7:02 PM
Subject: Re: Voltaic Pile of Confusion


> Are you thinking of an electrometer, which, after a very small current,
measures electrostatic repulsion, or an ammeter (static current, not an
oxymoron) which, with a multiplier, is calibrated to
> measure PD (Volts)?

***
Both.  My point is that the meter, or any other (non EMF) circuit element,
is affected only by the Electrostatic field (which is what drives the
current through these elements).  The EMF only DIRECTLY affects those
carriers which are presently inside the EMF device.
***
> bc
>
> P.s. Probably irrelevant to your point.  I don't understand the "static"
part of your statement though.

***
I mean that the "surface" charge distribution which produces the
Electrostatic field is a static charge distribution (until the circuit
geometry, etc are changed).

***
> Bob Sciamanda wrote:
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Tom McCarthy" <tmccarthy@STEDS.ORG>
> > To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
> > Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2000 2:01 PM
> > Subject: Re: Voltaic Pile of Confusion
> > > . . .
> > > My question then is why does a
> > > voltmeter measure the extreme voltage, as though all the electrons
> > traveled
> > > through all three batteries, as opposed to an average?
> > >  . . .
> >
> > The voltmeter, like any other circuit element (external to the EMF's),
> > responds only to the electrostatic field produced by the static charge
> > distribution.  It thus measures the PD corresponding to that
electrostatic
> > field.  It knows nothing directly about the EMF's, which only affect
> > carriers as they traverse the interiors of the EMF mechanisms.

Bob

Bob Sciamanda (W3NLV)
Physics, Edinboro Univ of PA (em)
trebor@velocity.net
http://www.velocity.net/~trebor