ECN Forum Forums Technical Discussion Electrical Theory and Applications Skin effect

Skin Effect kind of throws a Monkey Wrench into the commonly known way that current flows through a conductor, along with the way the charges get pumped in.

Real, or Ohmic Resistance is the resistance offered by the conductor to the passage of electricity [the basis of Voltage Drops]. Although the Specific resistance is the same for AC or DC, the Total resistance of a wire is greater for AC than DC.
This is due to the fact that there are induced EMFs [Voltages] in a conductor in which there is an alternating flux.

These EMFs are greater at the center than at the circumference [edges], so that the Potential Difference tends to establish currents that oppose the current at the center and assist it at the circumference.

The current is thus "Forced" to the outside of the conductor, thus reducing the effective area of the conductor.

Normal charge "Pumping" of the conductor is to begin the input charge flows from the center of the conductor, then pump the conductor full of charge [electrons] from there until it's at X capacity. The majority charge [the actual current that will be carrying the energy to the load] flows in the outermost areas of the conductor's surfaces, while the power supply continues to pump charges into the center of the conductor.
AC tends to create a Reluctance to the way the charge gets pumped into the conductor by introducing the mentioned EMFs in the center of the conductor.

Kind of interesting, isn't it??

You think I wrote it wierd, take a look at the way it's written in my Electrical Engineering books!!
Looks like outer space stuff

Scott SET