Demonstrations

Leyden Jar - Dissectible

Code Number :	5C20.30
Disclaimer:	Reprinted by permission of Dick Berg, University of Maryland, for use on this website. The demonstrations contained and referenced herein are listed for the purposes of cataloging and describing physics demonstrations which should be conducted only under the direction of a trained instructional support professional or physicist. These demonstrations are not presented for the purpose of being conducted by persons unconnected to this Facility and/or persons not consulting with or being supervised by the recognized instructional support professional or physicist and his/her staff. The University is responsible only for those demonstrations carried out using its own equipment using established safety and scheduling policies, and bears no responsibility for those choosing to use this source material for their own purposes. All demonstrations described and contained herein are public domain, and can also be found in reference materials in libraries, bookstores, and electronic sources. Further information regarding legal liability in use of demonstrations and labs will be found on the web site Injuries in School/College Laboratories in USA. The University of Iowa Disclaimers: University of Iowa Disclaimer All Rights Reserved..
Condition :	Good
Principle :	Capacitance Dependence on Distance Between Plates
Area of Study :	Electricity & Magnetism
Equipment :	Wimshurst generator, dissectible Leyden Jar.
Procedure :	Connect the inner part of the Leyden Jar to one pole of the Wimshurst. The other pole of the Wimshurst is connected to the outer conductor. Charge the jar and without discharging it disconnect from the inner conductor. With a insulated rod remove the inner conductor from the capacitor. By hand then you may remove the glass from the conductor as long as you don't touch the outer conductor. Once the capacitor is disassembled you may handle any or all of the pieces without fear of discharging. Reassemble the pieces and by touching the inner and outer conductors together it should produce a spark. NOTE: The vintage "Central Scientific" capacitor is made with the wrong kind of glass as a dielectric and will therefore not hold a charge. DO NOT use this for the dissectible capacitor demonstration unless you wish to show a discrepant event type situation.

References

Mario Iona, "Dissectible Capacitor Discussed", TPT, Vol. 26, # 1, Jan. 1988, p. 9.

G. Bradley Huff, "Response", TPT, Vol. 26, # 1, Jan. 1988, p. 10.

G. Bradley Huff, "Dissectible Leyden Jar", TPT, Vol. 24, # 5, May 1986, p. 292.

Bruce H. Morgan, "Dissectible Leyden Jar; A Comment", TPT, Vol. 24, # 8, Nov. 1986, p. 460.

Julius Sumner Miller, "More on "Dissectible Leyden Jar" ", TPT, Vol. 24, # 8, Nov. 1986, p. 460.

Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr., "The Dissectible Condenser", TPT, Vol. 16, # 8, Nov. 1978, p. 557.

Mail Questions and Comments to: Dale Stille