On Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:19:09 -0500, Cecil Moore wrote:

Jim Lux wrote:
But the important thing is that there's an equal number of positive and
negative charges floating around there, so there's zero net charge. An
possible radiated field from a negatively charged electron will be
exactly matched by the opposite field from a positively charged
something else.

Does that mean a column of salt water could not be used as an antenna?

It just means that moving the water back and forth won't cause
radiation. Waves on the surface of the ocean don't make radio signals.
(C'mon, Cecil. You knew the answer to your question, didn't you? ;-) )

The column of water will conduct a current, which will radiate, but I
think I'd rather use copper or aluminum :-)

--
Rich