500kV and a switch... WOW

[RyanJ]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4468957986746104671&q=500kv

 

Quite an impressive video, thats a lot of power

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[Illuminati]

You digg user you. Haha ^^

 

But yea, that is a great video. That's a huge amount of power though.

[RyanJ]

You digg user you. Haha ^^

 

Oh yes inbd lots of interesting science articles through it

 

But yea, that is a great video. That's a huge amount of power though.

 

Lots and lots of juice! Don't see electric jump like that very often

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[starbug1]

Can you imagine getting caught in that?!?

[RyanJ]

[i']Can you imagine getting caught in that?!?[/i]

 

I think that would be a shock... I'm quite shure you'd be cooked...

 

I've never seen electric jump like that, looks wierd...

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[insane_alien]

if been charged up to 500kV before. incredibly low current but still a shocking experience.

 

 

sorry i hang my head in shame at that pun.

[RyanJ]

if been charged up to 500kV before. incredibly low current but still a shocking experience.

 

 

sorry i hang my head in shame at that pun.

 

I hear you can theoretically pass any ammount of voltage through yourself provided the current is low enough... I'm shure I read some guy did it with 1,000,000V before now.

 

Wonder how many amps are going through those arcs... probably more than enough to kill you it takes, what, 40mA at the heart to kill you?

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

I hear you can theoretically pass any ammount of voltage through yourself provided the current is low enough... I'm shure I read some guy did it with 1,000,000V before now.

Static electricity has tremendous voltages but tiny currents, and all you get is a little zap.

 

Wonder how many amps are going through those arcs... probably more than enough to kill you it takes, what, 40mA at the heart to kill you?

120v AC can kill at 60mA, unless it has a direct current to the heart (i.e. through the blood) where it can be under 1mA.

[5614]

I've seen that video before, it's very clever, I'll tell you how it works ie. why it goes up as the spark continues.

 

Basically the initial spark takes the path of least resistance, ie. the shortest distance between the two sources producing the voltage. However as the spark sparks it heats the air up which creates a little area of hot gas (air) which rises pushing the spark upwards. The spark then makes more heat which pushes it up further etc. until the voltage and current is insufficient for the spark to grow much bigger, but you can still see the spark trying to move upwards with the hot air.

[[Tycho?]]

I've seen that video before' date=' it's very clever, I'll tell you how it works ie. why it goes up as the spark continues.

 

Basically the initial spark takes the path of least resistance, ie. the shortest distance between the two sources producing the voltage. However as the spark sparks it heats the air up which creates a little area of hot gas (air) which rises pushing the spark upwards. The spark then makes more heat which pushes it up further etc. until the voltage and current is insufficient for the spark to grow much bigger, but you can still see the spark trying to move upwards with the hot air.[/quote']

 

...and it follows the hot air because it is ionized,therefore having less resistance? Thats what I figured was going on.

[ed84c]

Can we get and actual figure for the power needed to make such a spark?

[RyanJ]

Can we get and actual figure for the power needed to make such a spark?

 

Air does not conduct electricity very well so it must be a pretty high initial value.

 

Cheers,

 

Ryan Jones