Tesla Coil Surprises Inside a Faraday Cage

In summary, the conversation discusses the phenomenon of a person being able to touch the inside of a Faraday cage without getting shocked due to the charge flowing on the outside. The concept of electric fields pushing electrons away from each other is also mentioned, along with a link for further information. Additionally, the conversation delves into the behavior of charges in an isolated conductor and in a copper wire.
  • #1
cragar
2,552
3
When this guy gets inside the Faraday cage and they hit it with like 200,000 volts from a Tesla coil , when he is inside the cage he can touch the inside and not get shocked , so basically the charge flows on the outside , is this because the electric field from all around the circle pushes the charge to the outside .?

 
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  • #2
I haven't heard many people talk about electric fields pushing!
A reasonable explanation coming from a slightly different direction is that electrons "don't like one another".
In their efforts to get as far away from one another as convenient, electrons on the inside of a conductive body get out onto the edges and even jump off into the atmosphere.

You might like the information on this link: http://www.howstuffworks.com/vdg.htm
 
  • #3
thanks for the answer .
 
  • #4
does the charge on a copper wire only flow on the outside of the wire ,
 
  • #5
In electrostatics, the field inside a conductor is zero. By electrostatics, I mean an isolated conductor. If it is placed in an external field, the free electrons in the conductor would be acted upon by the field and would more towards the surface closer to the positive end, leaving behind positive atoms (or I should say ions). This separation of charges produces a field that opposes the external field. The separation takes place until the two fields cancel each other out. At this point the electron would be pulled by the the positive ions with the same force as the external force is pulling it in the opposite direction.

A copper wire, it is not an isolated conductor. It is in a circuit. The free electrons would be pulled out of the wire by the current source. As in the previous case they are not forced to settle onto the surface of an isolated conductor. So in a copper wire, electrons flow in the interior region as well.
 
  • #6
ok thanks for the answer .
 

1. What is a Tesla coil?

A Tesla coil is an electrical resonant transformer circuit invented by Nikola Tesla in the late 1800s. It is used to produce high-voltage, low-current, high-frequency alternating-current electricity.

2. What is a Faraday cage?

A Faraday cage is a metallic enclosure used to block electromagnetic fields. It is named after scientist Michael Faraday who discovered its principles in the early 19th century.

3. Why is it surprising to have a Tesla coil inside a Faraday cage?

It is surprising because the Faraday cage is designed to block electromagnetic fields, yet the Tesla coil produces strong electromagnetic fields. This contrast creates an interesting and unexpected phenomenon.

4. What happens when a Tesla coil is placed inside a Faraday cage?

When a Tesla coil is placed inside a Faraday cage, the electromagnetic fields produced by the Tesla coil are blocked and confined within the cage. This results in a unique and mesmerizing display of electric sparks and arcs inside the cage.

5. Is it safe to observe a Tesla coil inside a Faraday cage?

Yes, it is safe to observe a Tesla coil inside a Faraday cage as long as the proper safety precautions are taken. The cage should be made of a conductive material and grounded properly to prevent any electrical shock. It is always recommended to observe such experiments from a safe distance and under the supervision of a trained professional.

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