Re: [Phys-l] current vector

[Brian Whatcott <betwys1@sbcglobal.net>]

Then perhaps bc can do as much for me. If I arrange an air nozzle to discharge
between two coplanar plates from a central aperture, what is the direction
associated with the vector air velocity, and the vector air displacement?

I chose this as conceptually congruent with  Moses's  current mind experiment.

Brian Whatcott

At 01:46 AM 2/23/2006, Bernard Cleyet wrote:
> I presume you mean discharge not by a wire connecting the concentric
> spheres, but by a leaky dielectric.  In which case you have "crystal
> clarified" the discussion; thank you.
>
> bc
>
> Fayngold, Moses wrote:
>
> >It looks like the disagreement between John Denker and John Mallinckroft
> >has been caused by interchangeable use of the two different 
> concepts: current
> >and current density. Current (as a rate of charge transfer through a
> >surface) is not a vector. This can be made crystal clear by considering,
> >say, electrical discharge of a spherical capacitor. We have non-zero
> >charge transfer with no direction to single out.
> > Current density is a vector, about which, I think, there is no
> >disagreement.
> >
> >Moses Fayngold,
> >NJIT
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From:  phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu on behalf of John 
> Mallinckrodt
> >Sent:  Tue 2/21/2006 12:37 PM
> >To:    Forum for Physics Educators
> >Cc:
> >Subject:       Re: [Phys-l] current vector
> >
> >John Denker wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> >>On 2/21/06, John Mallinckrodt <ajm@csupomona.edu> wrote:
> >>
> >> >While it is true that the notion of current often--as when it flows
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
> cut
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Brian Whatcott    Altus OK    Eureka!