Is the charge of a current carrying wire real or hypothetical?
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theory
Relativistic Electrodynamics assert that a current carrying wire being neutral in a laboratory frame of reference appears electrostatically charged to an observer in relative motion to that wire (“Relativistic Wire”), like an ordinary pre-charged wire would appear at rest. The theory of this apparent charge of a Relativistic Wire is covered by most textbooks dealing with Relativistic Electrodynamics.
Experimental evidence
Experimentally such charge has indirectly been inferred from the electrostatic potential around a Relativistic Wire. My opinion however is that for a doubtless proof of such fundamental theory it would be justified to require more credible and immediate experimental evidence of the postulated nonzero charge of a “Relativistic Wire”.
Proposed Experiment
Missing evidence could preferentially be obtained by means of a sliding “galvanic” contact acting as a probe* to directly pick up the electrostatic potential of a “Relativistic Wire” and adequately store the collected charge as a measure of its potential. Subsequently, the sliding contact and the probe would have to be disconnected in motion, stopped and the conserved charge be measured. A nonzero collected charge could already be regarded as indisputable proof of a nonzero charge of the wire.
Relativistic Electrodynamics assert that a current carrying wire being neutral in a laboratory frame of reference appears electrostatically charged to an observer in relative motion to that wire (“Relativistic Wire”), like an ordinary pre-charged wire would appear at rest. The theory of this apparent charge of a Relativistic Wire is covered by most textbooks dealing with Relativistic Electrodynamics.
Experimental evidence
Experimentally such charge has indirectly been inferred from the electrostatic potential around a Relativistic Wire. My opinion however is that for a doubtless proof of such fundamental theory it would be justified to require more credible and immediate experimental evidence of the postulated nonzero charge of a “Relativistic Wire”.
Proposed Experiment
Missing evidence could preferentially be obtained by means of a sliding “galvanic” contact acting as a probe* to directly pick up the electrostatic potential of a “Relativistic Wire” and adequately store the collected charge as a measure of its potential. Subsequently, the sliding contact and the probe would have to be disconnected in motion, stopped and the conserved charge be measured. A nonzero collected charge could already be regarded as indisputable proof of a nonzero charge of the wire.
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