Lord Kelvin’s Water-drop Electrostatic Generator Lord Kelvin’s Generator, On a Self-Acting Apparatus for Multiplying and Maintaining Electric Charges, with Applications to Illustrate the Voltaic Theory By Sir William Thomson (Lord Kelvin) Proceedings of the Royal Society, June 20, 1867

What is Lord Kelvin’s Generator?  Water  Inducers  Collecting can

How it Works

What is Lord Kelvin’s Generator? Electrostatic charges are produced The system seems to arbitrarily decide which side is positive and which is negative Water drops can float or move against gravity

William Thompson (Baron Kelvin of Largs) Born June 26 th 1824 in Belfast, Ireland Matriculated at the University of Glasgow at age 10 where his father was a professor Graduated with a BA from Cambridge Returned to fill the chair of natural philosophy (physics) at Glasgow Source: Institute of Physics, Belgrade

Work Towards Unifying Physics Discussed with Joule the implications of heat being a form of motion (energy), and later endorsed Joule’s idea Was mentor to James Clerk Maxwell, who acknowledged his debt to Thompson Advanced the ideas of Michael Faraday

Other Accomplisments Contributed to the design of the transatlantic cable Was against AC current until the Chicago Exposition, after which he asked Westinghouse to use AC to harness the power of Niagara Fall 1.Ibid 2.Tesla – Master of Lightning – Harnessing Niagara

Back to the Generator One application of the generator is to demonstrate the voltaic theory Stored charges of different voltages can be used to produce a current

Possible Applications Water ionizers can cost from $300 on up, I built my generator for less than $5 Negatively charged water is said to reduce aging, be a powerful anti-oxidant, remove plaque from teeth, and substantially aid plant growth

Self Ionization of Water? H 2 O(l) H + (aq) + OH - (aq) How much are we talking? K w = M ions / o C

What’s an Ion Anyway? Ion = Molecule with a proton/electron imbalance K w = Moles Ions per 55.5 Mol H 2 O In a neutral solution [H] = M & [OH] = M pH = -log = 7

So if I input a liter water… 1 liter H 2 O = 55.5 M So we have M elementary charges M * (6.02 * molecules/mole) = 6.02 * 10 9 molecules (6.02 * 10 9 molecules) * (1.60 * C/molecule) = 9.63 * C

Triboelectric Series asbestos glass human hair nylon wool lead silk aluminum paper cotton steel hard rubber nickel & copper brass & silver synthetic rubber orlon saran wrap polyethylene teflon silicone rubber Some triboelectic series contradict others + -