Re: Dielectric characteristic

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <davep-at-quik-dot-com>

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
><A123X-at-aol-dot-com>
 
> I understand that in lossy dielectrics they waste the energy into heat,

	Usually only AC energy....  But Tesla work is about AC...

> but I don't really understand what causes this to happen. What causes
> it to occur more in some dielectric than others?

	Detailed answer gets into quantum physics (and me over my head...)
	Roughly:
	The materials that make up dielectrics (and everything else) have
	different sorts of molecular structure.  The principal issue for
	dielectric loss) (as I understand it) is the type of chemical
	bonding.  Some bonds and associated structures are relatively
	'rigid'.  Some are 'springy'.  The springy ones get pushed into
	oscillation by the applied electric field.  The oscillation
	is not loss free (varies from material to material), so heat
	results.

> Also does only the surface of the dielectric affect loss?

	It's a bulk effect.  The electric field permeates the material.

	best
	dwp