Can Charges Remain Forever on Insulated Objects?

[wiredGuy]

Hi, I am interested in learning more about static charges. I've googled around and read a number of very informative sites; however, I am left with a few questions. (the best site btw is http://www.ce-mag.com/mrstatic.html)

After reading (http://www.ce-mag.com/archive/02/01/MrStatic.html) which has an article covering electric breakdown, I am left with a few questions:

1. If charge is placed on an object which is surrounded by materials with a much lower breakdown, then does the charge remain there forever?

2. Does the interaction of charge with other charge affect the breakdown voltage?

3. What materials have the highest potential difference? (I figure this is insulators, but the fact that charge is actually stored in the insulating material of a capacitor confused me).

Thanks in advance,
- wiredguy

 

[BAnders1]

1. Hypothetically, yes. The charge will sit there forever without "leaking" to the outside material. However, a perfect insulator is the same mythological beast as the frictionless plane and the massless spring. In reality, the charge will slowly leak out and the total charge will decrease.

For your second question, I'd rather admit that I cannot correctly answer it than give you some inaccurate answer. From what I have been taught, the point of breakdown in an insulator is just a critical point in which the electric field within the insulator is large enough to allow electrons to move freely throughout the insulator. Multiple charges may create a larger electric field than would a single charge, thus an insulator at points around the electrical charges may be higher than that of one charge. This high electric field will make the insulator "more inclined" to breakdown, but would not affect the value at which it does actually breakdown. Again though, I am not saying my answer is by any means correct, since some materials have extraordinarily interesting electrical properties. If someone with more experience can answer this then I suggest listening to them.

3. What do you mean by potential differences? A potential difference V is the difference in potential between two points in space for any charge configuration. The same potential difference can be obtained by many different configurations, only the geometry and charges of the situation will be changed. Are you asking what materials have the highest dielectric breakdown?

 

[astrokreng]

Hello wiredguy,

Thank you for your interest in static charges. I am glad to hear that you have found some informative sites on the subject. I will do my best to answer your questions based on my knowledge and research on the properties of static charge.

1. If charge is placed on an object which is surrounded by materials with a much lower breakdown, then does the charge remain there forever?

The answer to this question depends on the conditions and materials involved. In general, if the object is surrounded by materials with a lower breakdown voltage, the charge will remain on the object until it is able to dissipate or discharge. This can happen through various means such as contact with a conductor or through a spark. However, if the object is in a controlled environment and is well-insulated, the charge can remain for a longer period of time.

2. Does the interaction of charge with other charge affect the breakdown voltage?

Yes, the interaction of charge with other charge can affect the breakdown voltage. The presence of nearby charges can create an electric field that can either enhance or reduce the breakdown voltage of a material. This phenomenon is known as the corona effect and is commonly observed in high voltage systems.

3. What materials have the highest potential difference? (I figure this is insulators, but the fact that charge is actually stored in the insulating material of a capacitor confused me).

You are correct, insulators generally have a higher potential difference compared to conductors. This is because insulators have a higher resistance, which means they can hold a charge for a longer period of time. However, when it comes to storing charge, capacitors are the most efficient. This is because they are specifically designed to store and release charge, making them more effective than insulators in this aspect.

I hope this helps answer your questions. If you have any further inquiries, please do not hesitate to ask. Keep exploring and learning about the fascinating world of static charges. Best of luck to you in your studies.