Re: [Phys-L] charge distribution leading up to a capacitor

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

On 07/29/2016 08:09 AM, Robert Cohen wrote:
> Let r be the *ratio* of negative to positive particles on the
> negative plate.  What is the ratio on the wire leading up to that
> negative plate: zero, less than r, equal to r, or greater than r?

I don't understand the question.  I don't see how to attach physical
significance to the question or to any of the proposed answers.

In an ordinary capacitor, the number of charged particles is on the
order of a mole, i.e 6e23 particles.  The amount of «net» charge on
either plate is on the order of a microcoulomb or less, i.e. at most
6e12 elementary charges.  So to an exceedingly good approximation, r
is equal to 1 on the capacitor plates, on the wires, and everywhere
else.

Most so-called "electrical" phenomena are sensitive to the «net» charge
(which really ought to be called simply /the charge/) ... not to the
number of charged particles.

If that doesn't answer the question, please clarify the question.

I suspect this may be related to wide-spread and deep-seated misconceptions
about «two kinds of charge».  It is taken as an article of faith in the
PER literature that there must be TWO «kinds of charge».  However, this
is bad pedagogy on top of wrong physics.  There is really only one kind
of electrical charge.
  https://www.av8n.com/physics/one-kind-of-charge.htm

There are lots of different kinds of charged /particles/ but the
Maxwell equations don't know and don't care about that.