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Re: Thunder
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To: tesla-at-grendel.objinc-dot-com
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Subject: Re: Thunder
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From: "Malcolm Watts" <MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz>
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Date: Thu, 25 Jan 1996 11:44:51 +1200
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>Received: from rata.vuw.ac.nz (root-at-rata.vuw.ac.nz [130.195.2.11]) by uucp-1.csn-dot-net (8.6.12/8.6.12) with ESMTP id PAA15000 for <tesla-at-grendel.objinc-dot-com>; Wed, 24 Jan 1996 15:45:33 -0700
HI all,
Firstly, happy new year. Thanks for putting up with me again
Chip and all.
Two cents worth (IMO) on this subject...
> Why are Tesla coils so noisy? (Especially running in my basement.) Is it~
> the same phenomena as lightning & thunder?~
Firstly, the noise is going to be proportional to discharge energy.
Most of the Tesla coil noise is coming from the secondary discharge
since that's where most of the energy is dissipated. Single-shot
experiments to a grounded discharge rod clearly show this to be the
case. It IS an explosion. The gases (air) are being heated to
temperatures of thousands of degrees. The expansion of the heated gas
causes a compression wavefront moving outwards (initially) faster than
the speed of sound. In effect, it is a mini sonic boom.
Malcolm