- #1
iScience
- 466
- 5
i understand why there can be no breakdown, however "arcing" is just the transfer of electrons. a breakdown in air just provides a path for the electrons to take. But if you have two sharp surfaces, like a needle, pointing towards each other, separated by some distance d, let's even say that d is small, and if you apply a high enough voltage between the two needles, what is preventing the electrons on the anode surface from getting sapped off to the positively charged needle? why is air needed for this?