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Re: Gauss' law and displacement current



Carl, I don't understand this statement you have made... "When you close the
switch and turn on the current, why does the electric field inside the
capacitor change (in order to give you extra field lines exiting there as
you state) even though the charge on the capacitor hasn't changed?"

If the capacitor is "fully charged" so that the potential difference across
the capacitor is the same as across the battery, there won't be any current
when you close the switch (and the charge on the capacitor does not change).
On the other hand, if the capacitor has not charged to the battery voltage,
then there will be a current when you close the switch, but you will also
increase the charge on the capacitor.

I understand no current and no change of capacitor charge. I understand
current and a change of capacitor charge. But I don't understand current
and no change of capacitor charge.


Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D. Phone/voice-mail: 419-358-3270
Professor of Chemistry & Physics FAX: 419-358-3323
Chairman, Science Department E-Mail edmiston@bluffton.edu
Bluffton College
280 West College Avenue
Bluffton, OH 45817