The discussion centers on the feasibility of using a thick steel hollow sphere filled with sulfuric acid and water to create a hydrogen fusion engine. Participants clarify that according to Gauss's law, a charged hollow sphere generates no electric field inside, meaning that hydrogen ions cannot be attracted or repelled within the sphere. The mathematical principles supporting this conclusion are well-established and referenced, indicating that the proposed method for hydrogen ion acceleration and fusion is fundamentally flawed.
PREREQUISITESPhysicists, chemists, and engineers interested in electrostatics, fusion technology, and the chemical properties of sulfuric acid. This discussion is particularly relevant for those exploring theoretical approaches to hydrogen fusion engines.
This is incorrect. As @dRic2 says, the electric field from a charged sphere is zero inside, and hence the force on a charge inside the sphere is zero. This is a standard result, the maths for which was done by Gauss over two centuries ago. See, for example, Wikipedia.Bruce Haawkins said:Please do the maths before you speak the charged particle has not gotten an even amount of cancelling forces on it. The forces only cancel right at the center of the sphere.
Wikipedia said:We can use Gauss's law to find the magnitude of the resultant electric field E at a distance r from the center of the charged shell. It is immediately apparent that for a spherical Gaussian surface of radius r < R the enclosed charge is zero: hence the net flux is zero and the magnitude of the electric field on the Gaussian surface is also 0
Bruce Haawkins said:Then remove the oxygen ions.
Bruce Haawkins said:then give the sphere a negative charge