Tdonaly wrote:
Actually, net current doesn't flow at all in a standing wave.

Instantaneous standing wave current moves in one direction during
1/2 cycle, and in the opposite direction during the next 1/2 cycle.
If you think otherwise, you are simply wrong. Have you never observed
standing waves on an o'scope? It looks like a kid's jump rope.


You didn't read the rest of my posting. Current is dQ/dt, the rate of
flow of charge with time.



And Tom, one of the strictest laws of physics is that current cannot
stand still. Saying that "current doesn't flow at all" is ridiculous.


Wrong. It's the charge that moves. In general, if you're talking about
instantaneous current, it changes constantly at a point. But you never
talk about instantaneous current, Cecil, the current you always refer to
is RMS current. However, if you want to refer to instantaneous current,
that's fine with me. In that case, you have a traveling, standing wave
oscillating in and out of your coil. That's interesting, but it isn't what is
happening.


When the current is flowing into both ends of the coil at the same time,
charge is being stored in the coil. 1/2 cycle later, the charge flows
out of the coil at both ends.

In one of my examples, the current at the bottom of the coil is 0.18
at - 54 degrees. The current at the top of the coil is 0.2 at 126 degrees.
Last time I checked, 54+126 = 180 degrees indicating that the current
at the bottom of the coil is 180 degrees out of phase with the current
at the top of the coil. That means the two currents are flowing in
opposite directions at the two ends of the coil.
--
73, Cecil http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp


Actually, the two charge collections are oscillating in opposite directions at
the same time, and, I'll tell you that each individual infinitesimal volume of
charge doesn't go very far before it's whacked back the other way.
The problem here is that you don't remember your basic definition of
current. Go dig out your old physics book and read the definition.
73,
Tom Donaly