P
Proctologically Violated©®
- Jan 1, 1970
- 0
Awl--
I seem to remember that current flow (or current density) on a solid
conductor resides *exclusively* on it's surface, ie, looking at the wire
cross-sectionally, you would see *only one* layer of electrons--not even
two, no matter how high you cranked up the voltage across the conductor.
This was explained on the basis of Coulombic repulsion, and something of
Gauss' law, which I can't quite remember.
This would mean that the current-carrying capacity of a wire is *strictly*
proportional to its circumference, not to its cross-sectional area.
But it seems to me that if the current density were high enough, and thus
the very outer layer of electron flow sufficiently crowded, indeed an "inner
layer" of electron flow should be forced, and that then the current carrying
capacity of a wire would be proportional to its cross-sectional area.
Or is it that before the electrons could be forced into an inner layer, the
repulsive forces of the electrons would be so strong as to force them to arc
into air, or across an insulating covering??
Any idears?
Thanks.
I seem to remember that current flow (or current density) on a solid
conductor resides *exclusively* on it's surface, ie, looking at the wire
cross-sectionally, you would see *only one* layer of electrons--not even
two, no matter how high you cranked up the voltage across the conductor.
This was explained on the basis of Coulombic repulsion, and something of
Gauss' law, which I can't quite remember.
This would mean that the current-carrying capacity of a wire is *strictly*
proportional to its circumference, not to its cross-sectional area.
But it seems to me that if the current density were high enough, and thus
the very outer layer of electron flow sufficiently crowded, indeed an "inner
layer" of electron flow should be forced, and that then the current carrying
capacity of a wire would be proportional to its cross-sectional area.
Or is it that before the electrons could be forced into an inner layer, the
repulsive forces of the electrons would be so strong as to force them to arc
into air, or across an insulating covering??
Any idears?
Thanks.