[NewCandle] Measuring Half-Cell Charge

[Keith Nagel]

'Morning Fred.

Yeah, that half cell reaction is what makes it so hard to establish "ground"
in an
electrolyte. Were the electrolyte a true conductor you could establish ohmic
contact and call that 0 volts. But in an electrolyte, you immediately get
that
double layer formed and so your external ground is .1 to 1 volts different
depending on the metal, electrolyte, etc.

Why not go the whole hog and fill the copper float with active carbon ( from
your
friendly neighborhood tropical fish store ) and salt water? That'd give you
a real big ball 'o charge. Packed tightly, you'll have an ohmic connection
from the carbon to the copper.

In fact, if it doesn't work, can we call that particular test definitive? I
can't
think of a better one for your idea....

K.
  -----Original Message-----
  From: newcandle-bounces at ipdiscover.com
[mailto:newcandle-bounces at ipdiscover.com]On Behalf Of Frederick Sparber
  Sent: Friday, September 07, 2007 3:58 AM
  To: newcandle at ipdiscover.com
  Subject: [NewCandle] Measuring Half-Cell Charge


  It seems to me that filling a $5.00 copper toilet bowl float
  with an aqueous electrolyte and suspending it as a plumb-bob
  between a pair of electrically charged plates will allow measurement
  of the double layer (interface) charge.

  I'm not sure about water-reactive aluminum that forms
  the aluminate ion, especiallyif you have enough aluminum mass
  to store up the exothermic heat to accelerate Nick's
aluminum-water-electrolyte
  reaction.  ::-)


  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact_electrification

  Fred
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