Is it possible for electricity to jump a vacuum gap?

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Electricity can indeed jump a vacuum gap, a phenomenon known as arching or conduction, depending on the current and its onset. Higher voltage is required for this to occur since air and moisture are better conductors than a vacuum. In vacuum tubes, this electron flow is referred to as thermionic emission and plate current, although the current itself is not visible. High electric field gradients in a vacuum can lead to field emission of electrons, which can produce x-rays upon impact. This principle underlies the operation of older technologies like radio and TV sets that utilized vacuum tubes.
mcjosep
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Is it possible for electricity to jump a vacuum gap? If so, what is it called when that happens?
 
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Yes. Otherwise those old Fleming tubes wouldn't work...
Arching or conduction depending on the amount of current and suddenness of onset.
It takes more voltage to get it going since air and moisture make better conduction paths. I seem to remember 30Kv/inch for an electrical arc in a vacuum, but I could be way off.
 
Before transistors, radio and TV sets used vacuum tubes, which are based on electron flow.
 
mcjosep said:
Is it possible for electricity to jump a vacuum gap? If so, what is it called when that happens?
In vacuum tubes, the electron current is called thermionic emission and plate current. The current is not visible, but the plates sometimes turn red hot.

With very high electric field gradients in very vacuum, field emission of electrons is possible, with lots of x-rays as the accelerated electrons hit the other side.

Bob S
 

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