Not really an audio question, and probably better for a physics forum, but I figure one or both of Doc B and PJ may know the answer off the top of their heads.
As I understand things, when a voltage differential is created across the two leads of a capacitor the atoms in the dialectric become polarized with the electron "cloud" of the atom shifting towards the positive pole and the nucleus shifting towards the negative -- such that the dialectric atoms now have +ve and -ve poles.
My question: is the same true of any substance, whether electrically conductive or not, across which a voltage differential is created? I have in mind a sort of instantaneous reaction where all the atoms between anode and cathode become polarized.
I've done a bit of googling and only found discussion of the polarization of insulators and the holding of static charge. Nothing as best as I can decipher about, for example, whether applying a voltage difference across a piece of copper wire causes the polarization of the copper atoms.
Such polarization makes intuitive sense to me, unless the flow of charge (current) counterbalances the tendency towards polarization. But I don't see why flow of current and polarization couldn't be present at the same time.
Just in case someone knows. MTIA, Derek
