Xref: utzoo rec.boats:4168 sci.physics:13736 sci.electronics:13073
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!usc!jarthur!nntp-server.caltech.edu!arrester!kimf
From: kimf@arrester.caltech.edu (Kim Dorian Flowers)
Newsgroups: rec.boats,sci.physics,sci.electronics
Subject: Re: St Elmo's Fire (was Re: Lightning)
Keywords: Induction, space charge, capacitance, point action
Message-ID: <kimf.648884649@arrester>
Date: 25 Jul 90 05:44:09 GMT
References: <1990Jul18.111525.5749@ioe.lon.ac.uk> <richard.648454274@snap.la.locus.com>
Sender: news@laguna.ccsf.caltech.edu
Organization: California Institute of Technology
Lines: 15

richard@locus.com (Richard M. Mathews) writes:

>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.

Anyway of hooking up to this potential difference and drawing some
energy from it? :)

Kim Flowers