Re: CHARGED CAPACITOR TERM

["Rauber, Joel Phys" <RAUBERJ@mg.sdstate.edu>]

This is my last statement on this issue, (I promise, maybe)


> I agree somewhat.  This discussion did not start with my objections to
> "charging" and "discharging."  I had first added this misconception to
> Ludwik's list:

> 36) 2-plate capacitors are charged with energy, not with electrical
>    charge. A charged capacitor contains just as many + and - charged
>    particles as a discharged capacitor.


> I still insist that "capacitors store charge" is a misconception.  In
> addition to this issue, I found that I grow uncomfortable when I tell
> someone that I've "charged" or "discharged" a capacitor.  But this
> terminology problem is not the central issue, and I see that I got going
> on it while devoting less energy to the original issue, #36 above.

My original point was only meant to say that I don't find this to be a 
misconception commonly found in text books.  They usually quite 
transparently indicate what is actually going on with the standard two plate 
capacitor.  Therefore it didn't belong on the list (there were others in 
this category).  I did not mean to imply that this isn't a misconception 
that many students may get from inadequate reading of their text and 
inadequate instruction.  I might also add that when I introduce capacitors I 
am very careful about this point; I hope this means many of my students go 
away without this misconception.

Joel