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On a fundamental level, can anyone explain how a spark is created from scraping a knife along a piece of metal as done by people who want to light fires 'in the wild'?
LostConjugate said:Electrons are removed from the metal causing it to become charged, then a spark may occur even at such a low voltage because of the very small surface area at the edge of a knife.
Drakkith said:I'm not sure this is correct. From wikipedia on Flint: When struck against steel, a flint edge will produce sparks. The hard flint edge shaves off a particle of the steel that, heated by the friction, reacts with oxygen from the atmosphere and can ignite the proper tinder.
I think a similar effect is happening between a knife and metal. It generates high friction which produces "sparks".
A spark is a small, visible electrical discharge that occurs when there is a high voltage difference between two conductors.
A spark is created when an electrical current jumps through the air or another gas, ionizing the particles in its path and creating a visible plasma discharge.
A spark is caused by the buildup of an electrical charge, which can occur through friction, heat, or a high voltage source.
No, a spark can only be created through the flow of electricity. However, other forms of energy, such as heat or friction, can generate the initial electrical charge needed for a spark to occur.
Sparks have a variety of practical uses, such as in spark plugs for igniting fuel in internal combustion engines, in welding processes to melt and join metal, and in lighters and matches for starting fires. They are also used in entertainment, such as in fireworks and Tesla coils.