I want to create electrostatic force between two isolated objects which are 3 meters apart from each other. The electrostatic force should be very noticeable, so I want to get the objects charged other than using friction. I also now about electrostatic generators like Van de Graaff generator, but I want to get a particular object charged without any large machinery involved. Therefore Van de Graaff generator is not useful for me. I don't want to use battery because as far as I know I have to bind the battery to the object permanently. I just want to get an individual object charged without any connections to other generators or batteries. Thus, is there a way to get an object charged without using battery, Van de Graaff generator, parallel plates and friction? Basically how can I get an object charged and stay charged without any connections to machines?
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\$\begingroup\$ Please do some calculations. Size of object, desired force, amount of charge, needed voltage. (The little piezo zappers found in butane lighters might be used.) \$\endgroup\$– George HeroldCommented Aug 16, 2014 at 12:59
1 Answer
Some thoughts BUT DO read the advice section.
You can use an exiting stream of "stuff" to carry off charge - eg maybe dry air from a compressed air bottle.
You can create charged objects using falling water streams and a small amount of metalwork and very little else.
Friction or charge separation by shearing apart items in close proximity based devices are a staple in this area. Almpst everything works this way. Making them small is mainly a matter of good insulation, cleverness and the breakdown voltage of air or free space.
An electron beam from a number of possible sources may be able to be used. Tends to get high tech.
Ionising radiation sources may be able to be used to convert one sort of energy into another.
Advice:
You need to specify both your requirements and your limitations and exclusions more tightly.
A Van de Graaff generator will charge an individual object so the sentence "I want to get a particular object charged so Van de Graaff generator is not useful for me" does not make sense as written. You MAY mean that you want to charge an object without needing to have large machinery involved or nearby or ... . What ever you DO want you should say clearly.
You also need to provide more details about the objects and the required voltages and the distances required. These could be two flat 1 m^2 plates separated aqt about Kasimir force distance, or 2 planets in orbit around a start or .... .
You need to say what the relationship to "ground" is. Can these objects be considered to be in isolation or charged + and - relative to ground or one at ground and the other not and .... .
In short you need to say a lot more and hide a lot less about your requirement or the question runs a grave risk of being classed as too waffly and getting closed. [Not by me - I'm just warning you about what happens.].
ADDED:
The following is all related to particle emission ionisation.
No guarantees as to usefulness.
Here are a few thoughts and quite a few links.
Electron emission is going to have to deal with air, getting out of the generator and XRays as a byproduct. There is an electron gun in every CRT based TV picture tube. You can make your own (ref below). Electrons fired into a target probably have problems with increasing potential. Electrons fired away from a source towards "infinity" may have less problems if well separated from "ground" or other significantly sized object.
You could look at using radioactive sources.
This is liable to be a bad idea [tm].
Odds are the rates of production are too low in normally encountered quantities.
Alpha particles are Helium nuclei = 2 protons + 2 neutrons.
Beta particles are electrons.
Thorium is in SOME camping lantern gas mantles emit Alpha particles. Some newer ones use Yttrium which is not radioactive (and not as bright but lasts longer as a mantle)
Various nasty and largely unavailable materials emit Beta particles - including the Tritium in some luminous materials.
DIY 1800s electron gun - this will kill you if you let it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_gun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_lens
Useful: https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/15290/is-an-electron-proton-gun-possible
Have a look at -ve ion generators
Generating Air Ionization With No Contaminating Particles
[and ion thrusters
and dreamers
These guys seemed to make it work
Jawa with ion gun.
Related:
http://io9.com/5889732/the-thorium-lantern-your-opportunity-for-retail-radiation-exposure
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_particle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta_particle
Limitation of electrostatic charging of dust particles in a plasma - (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/GL011i004p00349/abstract?deniedAccessCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false) - interesting URL :-)
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\$\begingroup\$ Thanks for the advice. I tried to correct my question. Your thoughts are pretty useful but that would be great if there is a device to get objects charged by giving or taking electrons. And when the device is cut from the object the object would still stay charged. Is there a direct and simple way like that? \$\endgroup\$– StariorCommented Aug 16, 2014 at 8:10
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\$\begingroup\$ You can connect a power supply to your objects, they will act as the plates of a capacitor and get charged. If they are conductors. You will need a very high DC power supply anyway. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Aug 16, 2014 at 11:54
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\$\begingroup\$ Better but still tending towards " ... you need to say a lot more and hide a lot less about your requirement". How great is a noticeable force? What is your budget? What are you trying to achieve? See additions to my answer - in a few minutes. \$\endgroup\$– Russell McMahon ♦Commented Aug 16, 2014 at 11:55
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\$\begingroup\$ Further regarding 'Friction or charge separation': the technical term is
triboelectric effect-- two objects made of different materials are briefly brought into contact and then separated. Materials that are farther 'apart' on the triboelectric series generate more 'static electric' effect. The classic example is glass vs wool or glass vs plastic wrap. This is probably the way to go if you just want 'static electric' high voltage but you don't require high energy. \$\endgroup\$– MarkUCommented Aug 17, 2014 at 1:30 -
\$\begingroup\$ @MarkU Tribolectric is OK for contact devices - I was also intending to cover "influence types" where charge is "sheared" without contact. Utterly superb list of dozens of machines of both types here of which more anon, perhaps. \$\endgroup\$– Russell McMahon ♦Commented Aug 17, 2014 at 3:44