Measurement of Charge Transfer in a Capacitive Discharge

An experimental investigation has been undertaken to measure the charge transfer from a conducting object during a capacitive discharge. To establish the validity of the absolute measurement of charge using a Faraday cup, a sphere was charged in a uniform electric field. It was confirmed that the charge agreed with the theoretical predicted Felici value. The sphere was then charged in a uniform electric field via a spark and the charge collected agreed with the Pauthenier charging model. The initial attempts to measure the charge using the accepted oscilloscope technique with an RC network grossly underestimates the real value of charge. A composite electrode consisting of an isolated smaller electrode located at the point of discharge has been shown to be accurate to within 5 percent. An explanation of the electrostatic principles is given to describe the operation of the system.