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An 'electric arc' is an electrical breakdown of a gas which produces an ongoing plasma discharge, resulting from a current flowing through normally nonconductive media such as air. A synonym is 'arc discharge'. The phenomenon was first described by Vasily V. Petrov (Василий В. Петров), a Russian scientist who discovered it in 1802. An archaic term is 'voltaic arc' as used in the phrase "voltaic arc lamp".
The various shapes of electric arc are emergent properties of nonlinear patterns of current and electric field. The arc occurs in the gas-filled space between two conductive electrodes (often made of carbon) and it results in a very high temperature, capable of melting or vaporizing virtually anything. Electric arc is a continuous discharge, while a similar electric spark discharge is instant and momentary.
On a commercial basis, electric arcs are used for welding, plasma cutting, for electrical discharge machining, as an arc lamp in movie theater projectors and Followspots in stage lighting. Electric arc furnaces are used to produce steel and other substances. Calcium carbide is made in this way as it requires a large amount of energy to promote an endothermic reaction (at temperatures of 2500 °C).
Low-pressure electric arcs (more often referred to as glow discharges) are used for lighting, e.g., fluorescent tubes, mercury and sodium street lamps, camera flash lamps, plasma displays, and neon signs.
Undesired or unintended electric arcing can have detrimental effects on electric power transmission and distribution systems and electronic equipment.

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See also

External links

See also

★ Arc transmitter

★ Arc welding

★ Arc lamp

★ Spark gap

★ Vacuum arc

External links

★ Arc Analysis

★ Unusual Arcing Photos

★ Some more info about making electric arcs using a welder.

★ Videos of 230,000 volt 3-phase "Jacobs Ladder" and unintentional 500,000 volt power arc