Can someone do a few sketches? Bit thick today. -----Original Message----- From: Robin van Spaandonk [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: 25 September 2006 03:41 To: vortex-l@eskimo.com Subject: Re: [Vo]:
In reply to OrionWorks's message of Sun, 24 Sep 2006 20:40:40 -0500: Hi, [snip] >Here's my conundrum: How do individual free-wheeling electrons behave when placed within a magnetic field? According to my conventional understanding of particle physics, a fog chamber clearly shows charged particles, particularly electrons, SPIRALING in step with any magnetic field that they might be immersed within. The question I keep asking myself is: Are these electrons "spiraling" because they are already moving THROUGH the magnetic flux lines (akin to the phenomenon we call electricity), or would stationary free floating electrons automatically begin to pick up speed (accelerate) from a stationary position and begin to "spiral" in sync with the magnetic flux lines they are immersed within. [snip] If the latter were true, then since any metal contains many free electrons, one might expect them to start "spiraling" as long as the metal is in a magnetic field. However this is not observed, otherwise, the metal would eventually get red hot and melt. What does happen is that as long as the metal is *forced to move* within the field, then eddy currents will circulate within the metal heating it up, but the energy for this comes from the force which is creating the motion (or from initial kinetic energy if the metal just entered the field). Regards, Robin van Spaandonk http://users.bigpond.net.au/rvanspaa/ Competition provides the motivation, Cooperation provides the means.
