If we assume 10^-9 amp, that's 6.24x10^9 electrons per second. If we
assume a 10 cm path length and 100 kph ion speed we have a transit
time of (10 cm)/(100 kph) = 0.0036 sec., thus (6.24x10^9 q/s)(0.0036
s) = 2.25x10^7 electrons in the path. That gives a separation of (10
cm)/(2.25x10^7 q) = 4.44x10^-9 m between charges. That means a force
of (8.98755x10^9 m/F) (q^2)/(4.44x10^-9 m)^2 = 1.17x10^-11 N =
1.19x10^-12 kgf.
That's (1.19x10^12 kgf)/(Me) = 1.28x10^19 m/s2 acceleration, or
1.3x10^18 g's on a bare electron. Using the mass of nitrogen
molecule as about 2*14 times the mass of a proton we get(1.19x10^12
kgf)/(4.68x10^-26 kg) = 2.5x10^14 m/s^2 = 2.55x10^13 g's, which is
still impressive.
If things spread out a cm or so, we have force = (8.98755x10^9 m/F)
(q^2)/(0.01 m)^2 = 2.3x10^-24 N = 2.35x10^-25 kgf. That gives
(2.35x10^-25 kgf)/(4.68x10^-26 kg) = 49 m/s^2 = 5 g's. It still has
some lateral expansion pressure on the jet.
Regards,
Horace Heffner
