This is a consequence of Lorentz reciprocity. For an antenna element  not connected to anything (open circuited) one can write . But for an element  which is short circuited, a current is generated across that short but no voltage is allowed, so the corresponding . This is the case, for instance, with the so-called parasitic elements of a Yagi-Uda antenna where the solid rod can be viewed as a dipole antenna shorted across its feedpoint. Parasitic elements are unpowered elements that absorb and reradiate RF energy according to the induced current calculated using such a system of equations.

a antenna element not connected to anything is circuited how?