If a wire is at +120V does it have more electrons or fewer than a wire of equal size at ground?
+120V
Jun 04, 2006
4 Replies
Read page 243 of your textbook.
Bob
The very premise of your question is flawed hence there is no direct answer.
Graham
assuming no external electrostatic fields.
If they aaare exactly thhe same size (or better the exact same wire) the wire with +120V will have a few fewer electrons.
120V is not much of a static charge and the deficiency of electrons will be relatively small.Bye. Jasen
Actually to correct you all, a +120v bias to any conductor has no more electrons than the grounded wire at all, no matter what the gauge. Voltage potential means nothing interms of the amount of electrons in a conductor, because iof they are both copper, the electron count is the same regardless of charge either way.
Not to be snotty, but the facts present themselves....This is a popular trick question in electron physics....
For the rest of you, a static charge can develop at as little as
0.001pV, and as a whole the assumption of "static" electricity is wholly misunderstood. Run your fingers through your hair and you can generate 50V easily.....You should study "peeling" a bit more when it comes to static charge...lifting a sheet of plastic off a table can generate as much as 1500V...Join the Discussion
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