Various Tesla book cover images

Nikola Tesla Books

Books written by or about Nikola Tesla

varied until resonance of free system comprising coil of 400 t. and ball of 38.1 cm cap. was obtained. This was evident from spark length and other indications, as streamers.

Results:

Ball position Capacity in primary on each side Turns in self. box Spark gap primary Spark second. The experiments were interrupted here because of darkness
lowest 1 old + 3 2/3 new tanks 22 1/2" + 1 turn 53"
2 feet higher 1 old + 4 1/3 ” 22 ” ”

From this computed found that by elevating 2 feet, capacity was increased by a ratio of $! {{\text{5 1/3} \over \text{4 2/3}} = {16 \over 14} = {8 \over 7}} $! or about 15% nearly, really 14.3%. This is a value found nearly the same before in previous tests.

To be followed up.

205

October 4

Tesla was primarily interested in the change of capacity of a ball with height, so he measured the primary capacity for two elevations of the ball. In both cases he tuned for resonance of a “special coil”. In the first measurement he had LCp1 Lsc Cb1 = 1/ω21 and in the second LCp2 Lsc Cb2 = 1/ω22, where p refers to the primary circuit and b to the ball. These equations neglect the effect of interaction between the primary and secondary. They readily yield Tesla’s equation

$! {Cp_{1} \over Cp_{2}} = {Cb_{1} \over Cb_{2}} $!

The inductance of the primary Lp and of the “special coil” Lsc do not figure in the capacity ratio equation. In deriving this equation all distributed capacitance in the secondary and the secondary coil itself are neglected.


October 4

He performs the experiments in order to determine the variations of capacitance.of and isolated metal body at various distances from the ground surface. He constructs the ''special coil'' which is connected between the secondary and the globe. He particularly makes efforts to reduce the internal coil capacitance.

The oscillator frequency is reached by common method by adjustment of regulating coil and capacitor in the primary circuit. The maximum voltage (i.e., the longest spark on terminal of "special coil") is the indication of adjusted oscillator. For the secondary he enters the note on the figure that it does not "vibrate freely". Tesla is particularly interested in globe capacitance variations due to height. Because of that he performs two primary capacitance measurements for the two globe positions. In both cases he achieves the resonance on "special coil". In the first measurement the relation is LpCp1 = LscCk1 = $! {1 \over {ω_{1}}^{2}} $!, and in second LpCp2 = LscCk2 = $! {1 \over {ω_{2}}^{2}} $!

These equations do not take into account the mutual influence of the primary and secondary on the oscillator operation. On the basis of the above equations it is easy to get Tesla's equation $! {C_{p1} \over C_{p2}} $! = $! {C_{k1} \over C_{k2}} $!, where the index p is related to primary circuit and index k to the sphere. Lp (primary inductance) and Lsc ("special coil" inductance) do not enter in the equation for the capacitance relationship. When developing the last equation all distributed capacitances in the secondary are neglected as well as the secondary coil itself.

Glossary

Lowercase tau - an irrational constant defined as the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its radius, equal to the radian measure of a full turn; approximately 6.283185307 (equal to 2π, or twice the value of π).
A natural rubber material obtained from Palaquium trees, native to South-east Asia. Gutta-percha made possible practical submarine telegraph cables because it was both waterproof and resistant to seawater as well as being thermoplastic. Gutta-percha's use as an electrical insulator was first suggested by Michael Faraday.
The Habirshaw Electric Cable Company, founded in 1886 by William M. Habirshaw in New York City, New York.
The Brown & Sharpe (B & S) Gauge, also known as the American Wire Gauge (AWG), is the American standard for making/ordering metal sheet and wire sizes.
A traditional general-purpose dry cell battery. Invented by the French engineer Georges Leclanché in 1866.
Refers to Manitou Springs, a small town just six miles west of Colorado Springs, and during Tesla's time there, producer of world-renown bottled water from its natural springs.
A French mineral water bottler.
Lowercase delta letter - used to denote: A change in the value of a variable in calculus. A functional derivative in functional calculus. An auxiliary function in calculus, used to rigorously define the limit or continuity of a given function.
America's oldest existing independent manufacturer of wire and cable, founded in 1878.
Lowercase lambda letter which, in physics and engineering, normally represents wavelength.
The lowercase omega letter, which represents angular velocity in physics.