Original poster: BunnyKiller <bunikllr@xxxxxxx> Hi Langer... we see it pretty much the same way we see a neon tube glowing...the extreme amount of electricity produced by the topload extends off of it similar to the field lines of a magnet, the voltages present in the field lines excite the electrons of the air molecules and causes the electrons to jump up to the next orbit level up. When the voltage drops just enuf, the electron can no longer stay in the orbit it was forced into so it drops back to its original orbit. When it drops back into the original orbit it releases the stored energy as a photon of a very specific wavelength ( color). Since air has multiple gasses involved in its mix there are several colors that can be emitted. Nitrogen being the predominated gas creates the blueish to purple color seen most of the time. When a power arc occurs, the current and voltage is at its near peak in power so we have more electrons jumping several levels producing a multitude of wavelengths of light ( this is why a power arc seems more white) and also why lightning can be from a dull blue to a blinding white. So the next time you see an arc, spark etc ( actually any light source ;) ), electrons were shifted to an upper level and fell back into their home level releasing a photon :)
Scot D Tesla list wrote:
Original poster: "Langer Giv'r" <transworldsnowboarding19@xxxxxxxxxxx>Hello, I've been wondering, how and why are we able to see the electric arc that a tesla coil gives off? I know that it is the ionization of the air and shifting the air into a plasma, but how and why do we see it?Thanks