14 Oct
2008
14 Oct
'08
4:03 p.m.
[*] ISTR a problem stated in an old issue of an IEE
magazine:
Take an oil filled jar used as a capacitor of
capacitance C. Charge
it to voltage V. Disconnect the voltage source. Drain the oil into an
identical capacitor (initially uncharged). Describe the final
disposition of charges, voltages, energy, anything else that takes
your fancy.
Ouch. That makes the electrostatics part of my brain hurt. :) I'm
reminded of the time I asked someone "energy has mass, right? so why
don't batteries get heavier when you charge them?".
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