Xref: utzoo rec.boats:4158 sci.physics:13715 sci.electronics:13040 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jarthur!ucivax!orion.oac.uci.edu!cerritos.edu!yoshinaga From: yoshinaga@cerritos.edu (Michael Yoshinaga) Newsgroups: rec.boats,sci.physics,sci.electronics Subject: Re: St Elmo's Fire - 100 v/m ? Message-ID: <5498.26aba906@cerritos.edu> Date: 24 Jul 90 08:48:54 GMT References: <1990Jul18.111525.5749@ioe.lon.ac.uk> Organization: Cerritos College Lines: 19 > Here's the real scoop (source: The Feynman Lectures on Physics, Vol 2, > chapter 9). Away from thunderclouds, the earth has a negative charge > relative to "the sky." The potential difference is quite incredible: > about 100 volts per meter. Why does this not electrocute you? Because > your skin is so much better at conducting than air, your skin can be > treated as a perfect conductor. Your head and your feet have the same > potential as the earth. A foot from your nose, the air is at a potential > of +200V. > > richard@locus.com Just curious... Why can't this be measured with a DVM? Thanks, Mike -- AM: michael yoshinaga EM: yoshinaga@cerritos.edu VM: (h)714-761-4322 SM: 11110 e. alondra blvd; norwalk, ca. 90650 Disclaimer ?: Admit nothing, deny everything, demand proof