Can increasing voltage after ionization lead to nuclear explosions?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the effects of increasing voltage on ionized gases, particularly whether such increases could lead to explosions and if those explosions could be classified as nuclear events. The scope includes theoretical considerations of ionization, electrical conduction, and potential nuclear reactions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question why an ionized gas would explode when voltage is increased.
  • One participant suggests that increasing voltage after ionization will not lead to an explosion, but may cause rapid expansion of plasma, which they argue does not fall under nuclear phenomena.
  • Another participant notes that while conductors can overheat and burn at high voltages, they question why ionized gases would not exhibit similar behavior.
  • It is mentioned that burning requires an oxidizer, and the filament in a conductor melts rather than burns.
  • One participant proposes that sufficiently high voltage could, in principle, induce nuclear reactions by accelerating fully ionized atoms that collide with each other or electrodes.
  • A question is raised regarding the specific voltage required to initiate nuclear reactions and how to calculate it.
  • A historical reference is made to the Cockcroft and Walton experiment, which demonstrated detectable nuclear reactions at voltages as low as 125 kV.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether increasing voltage after ionization can lead to explosions and the classification of such events as nuclear. There is no consensus on the implications of high voltage on ionized gases or the conditions necessary for nuclear reactions.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved questions regarding the specific conditions under which nuclear reactions may occur and the assumptions about the behavior of ionized gases at high voltages.

sonurobots
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I know that when a gas gets ionized it will conduct electricity but what will happen if we increase the voltage even after ionization?will it explode eventually?if it will explode will that be in nuclear label ?
 
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Why would an ionized gas explode?
 
sonurobots said:
...when a gas gets ionized it will conduct electricity but what will happen if we increase the voltage even after ionization?

What happens if we increase the voltage applied to a conductor? It won't explode. You might be pointing at the rapid expansion of the plasma. But these will never be under the nuclear label. Ionisation is an electronic phenomenon. Not nuclear.
 
PhysicoRaj said:
What happens if we increase the voltage applied to a conductor? It won't explode.

But after a certain voltage the conductor overheats ands burns .Then why won't the gas burn ?
 
The filament doesn't burn. It melts. Burning requires an oxidizer such as oxygen to be present
 
High enough voltage, in principle, can cause nuclear reactions, by accelerating fully ionised atoms (nuclei), which then collide with each other or the electrodes.

As regards burning, air consists of nitrogen and oxygen. They react at high temperatures (but not very high).
 
voko said:
High enough voltage, in principle, can cause nuclear reactions.

How much high voltage is required ? how to calculate it?
 

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