Re: Why does electrostatic attraction in water decrease?

[William Beaty <billb@ESKIMO.COM>]

On Mon, 29 Apr 2002, Pentcho Valev wrote:
> high above the surface of the liquid that is outside the capacitor. Four
> hypotheses seem relevant:
>
> 1. Panofsky gives a wrong picture - the effect does not exist.
> 2. If we punch a hole in the plate, below the surface of the liquid inside the
> capacitor but above the surface of the liquid outside the capacitor, no liquid
> will leak out through the hole.
> 3. The liquid will leak out in violation of the first law.
> 4. The liquid will leak out in violation of the second law.

How about experimentation?  Try using vegetable oil.  If tapping into the
-20KV DC accelerator terminal on a television tube scares you, then buy a
7,500V DC power supply for $11.00 from Electronics Goldmine.  They sell
these as "120VAC negative ion generators", but they are acutally DC power
supplies which can put out a few tens of microamps (50uA measured short
circuit current.)  The low current makes them safe, and as long as your
capacitor plates don't add up to more than several hundred picofarads,
it's impossible to hurt yourself.

  EG Search Page (search on negative ion)
  http://sales.goldmine-elec.com/Search.asp

Note that the 12VDC negative ion generator is 15,000V with pulsed DC
output, and you'll get a mild "zap" if you touch its terminals.  The
120VAC version is much safer (assuming you connect the 120V power cord to
it with safely insulated connections.)   On the other hand, the 12VDC
version is fun because you can power it with a 9V battery.  This lets you
ground the output and use the battery terminals as +15,000v terminal,  or
maybe buy ten of the things and string them together to make a 150KV dc
power supply.


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William J. Beaty                            SCIENCE HOBBYIST website
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