Re: definition of "electrostatic"

["Bob Sciamanda" <trebor@velocity.net>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Eckel <edeckel@erols.com>
To: Forum for Physics Educators <phys-l@atlantis.uwf.edu>
Date: Sunday, October 04, 1998 10:34 AM
Subject: definition of "electrostatic"


> . . .
> Does "electrostatics" refer to fixed distributions of charge
> (that is, every charge source is glued in place, if you
> will) or that there is no time dependence to the
> distribution?

I think we have been using "electrostatics" to refer to a time
independent situation, however it is achieved.

> . . .
> In many of the situations being described (ions,
> plates becoming sphere, the interior of conducting shells),
> the charges respond to external factors so that the
> potential at a distance remains a constants?  . . .Ed Eckel


I'm sorry; I don't know what this last sentence means. Can you clarify?

-Bob

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