Fred wrote: > It seems that there is a substantial difference between the Earth's > net negative charge (~ 500,000 C) and it's surface charge (`26,000 C).
It seems to me that even though the earth's total negative charge at the surface might sound impressively large, the local field strength would be so weak as to be inconsequential. And there is one other factor as yet unaddressed. If you do your experiment indoors, you are, in effect, inside the negative electrode in a field-free region. Common building materials are noticeably conductive at the voltages we are talking about. Therefore, the surface of the negative electrode would be the exterior of the building and you would be inside the Faraday cage. M. _______________________________________________ Join Excite! - http://www.excite.com The most personalized portal on the Web!
