Lets say I have a pipe and then another pipe inside a larger pipe.

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The discussion centers on the behavior of AC currents in a coaxial pipe configuration, where an inner pipe carries current I(t) and an outer pipe carries the opposite current -I(t). It is established that this setup does not radiate electromagnetic waves due to the cancellation of the fields produced by the opposing currents. The fields are confined between the two pipes, preventing radiation from escaping. In contrast, a single wire carrying AC current would radiate because it lacks the opposing current to cancel out the fields. Overall, the coaxial cable effectively channels signals without radiating them into the surrounding environment.
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Lets say I have a pipe and then another pipe inside a larger pipe. On the inside pipe I have an AC current I(t) and on the outer pipe I have to opposite AC current -I(t). So that when I am outside both pipes and I make my Amperian loop, the current enclosed is always zero. Now my
question is will this radiate. Between the inner and outer pipe there should be a B field because I have enclosed current and it is changing with time so there should be an induced E field. So does the inner pipe radiate. Or what radiates if anything. Any input will be much appreciated. And the pipes are infinitely long.
 
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This doesn't radiate. It's called a coaxial cable and if you watch TV you're using it to get the signals.
 


I don't understand why the inside one would not radiate. If I just had one wire with AC current would that radiate?
 
cragar said:
I don't understand why the inside one would not radiate. If I just had one wire with AC current would that radiate?

If you had just one wire it would radiate.

With the coaxial cable, the fields are confined between the two pipes. So there is radiation of a sort, but it's being channeled to run down the space between the pipes and it can't get out.
 


Another way to see why it doesn't radiate is that the two currents create field amplitudes at large distances that cancel each other out.
 
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