Back in the early days of electronics, Capacitors were called Condensers. Why was the word changed?
Yea, I know there is a part in a refrigeration unit called a condenser. But does that have anything to do with this?
Something I always wondered about......
Apr 09, 2019
8 Replies
From Wikipedia:
Early capacitors were known as condensers, a term that is still occasionall y used today, particularly in high power applications, such as automotive s ystems. The term was first used for this purpose by Alessandro Volta in 178
2, with reference to the device's ability to store a higher density of elec tric charge than was possible with an isolated conductor. The term became d eprecated because of the ambiguous meaning of steam condenser, with capacit or becoming the recommended term from 1926.
I believe the Brits and their 'empire' still call'em condensers. And, their batteries are "piles".
Condensers, yes. Piles no - that's French.
Never confuse the French with the English - that pisses them both off.
Martin | martin at
Gregorie | gregorie dot org
both incorrect
That's a contra-indication?
Mike.
They were first called 'Jars', AKA: Leyden Jars.
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Each one was approximately 1nF for the common one pint physical size. Some early Physics and Radio books described circuits with the number of jars, in parallel.
Yeah, you know giving someone the finger ? They invented that. (so they say)
Someone posed a question many years ago which I never really gave that much thought after the first few minutes. S*it happens.
If you took a charged capacitor, a Leyden jar job would be good, took it ap art and mailed it to say, Taxifornia and reassembled it, would it still be charged ?
Back then for one I didn't know as much and for two I was not all that inte rested. But now I think that the glass would hold the charge and you could change the plates and the charge would still be there. However if you grab the jar wrong - that is have your finger and thumb make a connection betwee n the inside and outside of the glass you would discharge it.
But then what of a huge capacitor that uses air for a dielectric ? Kinda bl ows the theory. With that, years ago I decided I am simply not all that int erested in the question.
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