Is it possible to plug a power strip into itself? It doesnt neccessarily have to allow something to run off of it, but just so that the light will continue to show? If so, how long would it have to be?
2006-11-30 14:10:52 · 4 answers · asked by Marei 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
There is not one speed to electricity, there are two.
The electron drift rate, determined by the number of conductors, the applied, field, and the mean free path, and the field transfer rate aka the speed of light in the material.
All conductors have resistance - its like friction for electricity. Even "superconductors" have it, thought its a lot less than in other conductors. Just like a ball you roll eventually stops, so will electron motion.
If you had a superconducting power strip, and a very fast plugger, you could make it plug into itself and it would glow for a long time. The light would make it glow for a lot less long of a time. Thats all about initial current voltage, and internal resistance.
2006-11-30 14:14:19 · answer #1 · answered by Curly 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Without going into all the technical details....
Electricity travels at the speed of light. Assuming there is no loss, if you unplug a power strip and plug it into itself, the power will loop forever. But... to show that there IS power, you have to consume some of it, such as light, or metering device. It will have to consume not all but some of this energy. Since you unplugged it already, no new energy is coming in. Thus in very rapid rate, it will empty itself.
In real world, there is no power strip with ZERO loss. Longer the wire, bigger the loss. Shorter the wire, less loss. For zero loss, you have to have no wire. You can not have zero wire.... So, no, you cannot do what you propose.
As someone has already mentioned, there is such thing as super-conductivity, and there IS a real application for what you just said. Try looking up how MRI device work.... you'll see they use super-conductive magnet, it works exactly in the same principal as your power strip idea.
2006-11-30 14:26:58 · answer #2 · answered by tkquestion 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The speed of electricity is the speed of light...for all practical applications. what you are asking is not possible .... remember matter can not be created or destroyed....so even electrons can not feed off themselves to make a continuos supply you need Amperage, Voltage and Wattage in the equation.....and all are not self supplying.
2006-11-30 14:14:44 · answer #3 · answered by Tragedy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It will not work. Electricity travels at the speed of light and as soon as you unplug it it is gone.
2006-11-30 14:12:31 · answer #4 · answered by Barkley Hound 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋