A Capacitor Paradox
Abstract
Description
Consider two capacitors in parallel, but initially isolated by a switch such that one is charged and the other not. After the switch is closed, the charges redistribute themselves in such a way that the final electrostatic energy is less than the initial. We show that the "missing" energy has been radiated away by including an appropriate form of the radiation action in an equivalent circuit analysis.
4 pages, 1 figure
4 pages, 1 figure