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Evil Bunny
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Can you create an arc in a vaccum?
Evil Bunny said:Can you create an arc in a vaccum?
KavinMassey said:Can someone tell me an electric arc is visible in a vacuum or not?
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yungman said:This is a good question. You really don't get a perfect vacuum. I worked with HV in high vacuum, we do have arc, but mostly are from creepage on the surface of insulator. But I am not sure you arc through vacuum. This is very different from emission of electrons, arcing is an avalanche of electrons, not just an emission. The instantaneous current is in hundreds of amps.
nsaspook said:If the voltage is increased to the point the field emission electrons striking other atoms causes secondary electron emission you then form a electron cloud that can cause an avalanche of electrons (arc). On our machines (Semiconductor Ion Implanter acceleration chambers) this radiation is usually in the X-ray range with visible light from the ionization of materials from the electrodes and walls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_emission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron-Cloud_Effect
nsaspook said:If the voltage is increased to the point the field emission electrons striking other atoms causes secondary electron emission you then form a electron cloud that can cause an avalanche of electrons (arc). On our machines (Semiconductor Ion Implanter acceleration chambers) this radiation is usually in the X-ray range with visible light from the ionization of materials from the electrodes and walls.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secondary_emission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron-Cloud_Effect
sophiecentaur said:So that's an answer. If there are no gas atoms in the way then no avalanche can occur and so, by definition, you can't have an 'arc'. It's just a beam of charges on the move.
Evil Bunny said:Can you create an arc in a vaccum?
KavinMassey said:Can someone tell me an electric arc is visible in a vacuum or not?
sophiecentaur said:So that's an answer. If there are no gas atoms in the way then no avalanche can occur and so, by definition, you can't have an 'arc'. It's just a beam of charges on the move.
Evil Bunny said:Does the arc look any different than it would in our normal atmosphere? Same orange-ish color and everything?
Or not - depending on whether an 'arc' is defined by the occurrence of avalanche.Evil Bunny said:So... the consensus is that you can still have a visible arc in a vaccum.
Yes, an arc can be created in a vacuum. However, the conditions for creating an arc in a vacuum are different from those in a regular atmosphere.
An arc in a vacuum is a type of electrical discharge that occurs between two electrodes in a vacuum. It is a self-sustaining plasma channel that produces a bright glow and intense heat.
An arc in a vacuum is created by applying a high voltage between two electrodes in a vacuum chamber. This causes the air molecules in the chamber to ionize and form a plasma channel, which conducts electricity and produces an arc.
The ability to create an arc in a vacuum has various applications in fields such as vacuum technology, materials processing, and spectroscopy. It can also be used in specialized equipment, such as vacuum arc remelting furnaces.
One of the main challenges of creating an arc in a vacuum is maintaining a stable and controllable arc. This requires precise control of the vacuum environment, as well as the voltage and current applied to the electrodes. Additionally, the intense heat generated by the arc can cause damage to the electrodes and the vacuum chamber if not properly managed.