Magnet Myths and Misconceptions

[MarkE]

PW&Mark

I would like you to think about how electric current is carried through an ionic conductor of different solutions. Lets switch to real current flow(electron flow) here,and leave conventional current flow out of it. We refer to wikipedia here(and if this isnt an accurate description ,then now is the time to say something) Quote: An electric current is a flow of electric charge. In electric circuits this charge is often carried by moving electrons in a wire. It can also be carried by ions in an electrolyte, or by both ions and electrons such as in a plasma.

An electric current is carried by electron's,and the electron flow is from negative to positive.Useing say a copper wire ,this flow of current produces a magnetic field around that wire.
Now if we use ion's to carry that current by way of an ionic conductor,the ion flow is opposite to that of the electron flow,and although the polarity is the same through the ionic conductor,the opposite flow of ions creates a magnetic field around that conductor that is opposite to that of the one created by electron flow. The down side is that because of the higher resistance of the ionic conductor,a higher power level must be used to obtain a decent amount of current through that conductor.

If we make a K/CL mix of the right ratio,we can ballance that flow of current between the ion carriers and electron carriers. Once this ballance is correct,then the net magnetic field around the conductor is 0.

Unless you propose to make the two coaxial to each other, you are wrong.  The magnetic field in a plane is zero only if the net current penetrating that plane is zero.  You can cook up any chemistry that you want and if the net result is current flowing between a cathode and an anode then you have a magnetic field surrounding that current.

Another problem associated with this when useing a DC current is of course electrolysis. But this problem is omited when useing AC current.

[MileHigh]

Tinman:

Now if we use ion's to carry that current by way of an ionic conductor,the ion flow is opposite to that of the electron flow,and although the polarity is the same through the ionic conductor,the opposite flow of ions creates a magnetic field around that conductor that is opposite to that of the one created by electron flow.

Nope, I an assuming that you are not thinking this through.  If electron current flows say from left to right, then as you sate above positive ion current then flows from right to left.

Both flows will produce the same magnetic field, not opposite magnetic fields.  Indeed, nobody is perfect.

MileHigh

[tinman]

Unless you propose to make the two coaxial to each other, you are wrong.  The magnetic field in a plane is zero only if the net current penetrating that plane is zero.  You can cook up any chemistry that you want and if the net result is current flowing between a cathode and an anode then you have a magnetic field surrounding that current.

Lol
see ya saterday night.

[tinman]

Tinman:

Nope, I an assuming that you are not thinking this through.  If electron current flows say from left to right, then as you sate above positive ion current then flows from right to left.

Both flows will produce the same magnetic field, not opposite magnetic fields.  Indeed, nobody is perfect.

MileHigh

Books or bench time MH?

[tinman]

Tinman:

Nope, I an assuming that you are not thinking this through.  If electron current flows say from left to right, then as you sate above positive ion current then flows from right to left.

Both flows will produce the same magnetic field, not opposite magnetic fields.  Indeed, nobody is perfect.

MileHigh

Quote PW.
Ions can carry current.  A beam of protons is deflected in a direction opposite to that of a beam of electrons, so I suspect that a flow of positive ions would produce a magnetic field opposite to that of electrons flowing in the same direction.

This is correct.
Although it may be the charge that gives rise to the magnetic field,it is the motion of the charge carriers that determond the orientation of that magnetic field.