Re: visibility of an arc

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Bob (R.A.) Jones" <a1accounting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Hi,

Just a more specific description.

Though air molecules can be directly excited or ionized by a voltage
gradient generaly that is not what happens in the average spark of a top
load.
The air molecules are excited and or ionized by collisions with accelerated
electrons. The electrons are accelerated by the voltage gradient.
Fortunately for us this electron ionization process requires a much lower
(from memory 1000 time less) voltage gradient than is required to ionize air
molecules directly.

The initial electron that gets the process going is generated by field
emission or by natural back ground radiation.

Robert (R. A.) Jones
A1 Accounting, Inc., Fl
407 649 6400
----- Original Message -----
From: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2006 8:04 AM
Subject: Re: visibility of an arc


> 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
> >
> >
>
>
>
>