Recent content by msat

What I mean was that the field generated by the charge imbalance would induce a current down the conductor so that as long as the other end was able to collect electrons, and the cycle would continue as the gun continued to emit electrons.

There would be a potential between the plate and the gun, which would cause it to emit electrons and it turn be at a positive charge (not for long, of course)... In theory.

The specifics of the electron source aren't particularly relevant to the question, imo, though I think it's safe to say you are correct. Embarrassingly, it just dawned on me that the change I was seeking is simple Newtonian physics; the force imparted on the electron which altered its momentum...

mfb, what do you mean by "have to get electrons to the source"? Are you referring to an electron emitting cathode, or you mean having to initially put a charge on the plate?

I'm trying to understand (well, maybe in an oversimplified way) what permanent changes, if any, would be experienced by a positive electrostatically charged plate used to accelerate a free electron in a vacuum, but where the electron would not strike the plate. I assume there would be some...

This is the bit confusing to me, as while I understand the energy may be transmitted to the atmosphere above ambient, why would it matter, since as stated by Newton, every action has an equal and opposite reaction, thus work(?) was extracted in equal but opposite amounts. I know what you and...

Thanks, Russ The equations are simple enough, but I'm still confused :redface: I guess I don't grasp how force, momentum, and kinetic energy are all related. It would seem that p and e describe something similar, but alas they are different. A mass can have both momentum attributed to it as...

Hello, I've been trying to wrap my head around this topic and came across such a thread here: https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/propulsive-efficiency.643646/ but still don't get it. Why is it that that accelerating one unit of mass by two units less efficient than accelerating two units of...