Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!security!genrad!grkermit!masscomp!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!sri-unix!BILLW@SRI-KL
From: BILLW%SRI-KL@sri-unix.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: what is the voltage (EARTH based) of ground on the MOON?
Message-ID: <14471@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 9-Dec-83 16:51:00 EST
Article-I.D.: sri-arpa.14471
Posted: Fri Dec  9 16:51:00 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 13-Dec-83 05:47:49 EST
Lines: 18

A simple thought experiment:

consider two capacitors, one with a charge Q and voltage V, the other
uncharged.  Connect them in parrallel, so they each have charge Q/2,
but still voltage V.  Now dissconnect them and connect them in series,
so that the total circuit has charge Q again, but Voltage V*2.  Since
the end plates are now twice as far apart, they exert less force on
each other.

[This is logically equivilent to pulling apart the plates of a
 capactitor apart.  Since you have to do work to pull them apart
 (cause they attract each other), The voltage (which after all is
 a measure of potential energy) increases.  Voltage and charge are
 different things, and are not related!]

I think.

Bill W