Can a high voltage arc be drawn underwater?
966564
What you are proposing violates occupational safety regulations unless you've received the proper training and permits. Keep in mind that getting an electric shock from touching charged water is extremely dangerous because water reduces the skin's resistance to electricity, especially if you have salts dissolved in it. 35 mA is 3.5 times the minimum requirement to send a heart into fibrillation. Given the high voltage and water combination, there is no question that your body's resistance would be low enough to draw the full current limit.\n\nThat said, an arc is when you create a bright plasma conducting path. Dissolving bicarb in the water will make the *water* conduct instead, and load down (short) the HV, suppressing its voltage. You'll likely just heat the water that way. Your best bet is to use distilled water. Give the electrodes sharp points to enhance the electric field near the points. Bring the electrode close enough underwater, and you'll get your arc. Note that arcs create high pressure, and the water may splash out of the container and electrocute you.
1183589
some types of guns work underwater
714990
I believe that part of it is because the lines are covered with a coating that prevents them from being electrocuted. But, I've never been up there, so I don't know for sure.\n\n-EA
414505
Yes. Electric arcs have a higher temperature than the surface of the Sun. But they do not have a higher temperature than the core of the Sun and they do not have as much heat as the Sun.
79642
Those guys (arc welding power supplies) have high voltage inside, but they output low voltage at high current.\nTry old neon transformers, oil burner ignition transformers (but you need some high-voltage diodes for DC), a discarded TV set (but very dangerous, HV can be stored in various places when you open it). \nFor battery ops you might be able to gin something up with an ignition coil and some sort of primary current interrupter but you'll get pulses, not DC. If you're into DIY, you can rip the flyback transformer from a TV and follow the directions in the ref. Many more such projects if you google High Voltage Inverter". Good luck.
738402
Attach a bare wire to each terminal and dip the ends of both in salty water. Bubbles will form near the wires as the electricity breaks the water and salt molecules into their constituent gaseous elements. \n\nBy the way, with salty water you will get hydrogen and chlorine, but not oxygen. The salt is needed to make the water conduct electricity, but it also prevents you from getting oxygen gas from the water. You can do this experiment without the salt, but you will need WAY more than 9 volts. In that case you would get oxygen.
2627
I could suggest several considerations.  First P=IE, that is Power equals the electrical current (I in Amperes) times the voltage (E in volts).  Current is like the flow of water in a pipe and voltage is like the pressure causing the water to flow.  If you use the water to drive a hydraulic piston (say to hoist an automobile for repair) you can use either a small piston and high pressure or a larger piston and lower pressure.  Which is more cost effective?\n\nIn the United States, electric power is delivered to neighborhoods using three wires (three phases) strung along telephone (power) poles.  Only two of the wires are led to a single residence but the neighborhood must use all three wires to balance load on the wires.  Within a house electricity passes from only one wire (phase) to ground or earth to light a lightbulb which uses 110 volts.  The clothes dryer that needs far more power is connected between two of the supply wires (two phase) and to ground to supply 220 volts.  A machine shop might connect a very large motor to all three supply wires to obtain even more power at 440 volts.\n\nSix volts or even 12 volts DC in an automobile circuit can be touched with little danger.  It is less dangerous to accidentally touch a 110 volt AC wire than a 220 volt source and 440 volts is most dangerous.\n\nTherefore, the selection of voltage depends in part on safety and then on the size of the job to be tackled and also economic factors.  The higher the required current, the larger the required wires using expensive copper.  Increasing the voltage reduces the needed current and reduces the needed copper to do a given job.  The higher the required voltage, the more expensive the required electrical insulation will be.  Engineers must determine the best trade off of many factors.
1071764
it would travel the same 2 inches that separate the prongs on the stun-baton. salty water is perfect conductor of electricity.\n\nif you want to achieve the effect of lightning striking the ocean, you would have to find a way to stick only one prong of stun-baton into the water.\n\nif you want to get some fish, you can stick two electodes into the water like 10 yeards apart, and connect them to a better source of electricity (like welding arc generator). But then again, TNT is easier.
369302
Q: Is it safer to swim in salt water than fresh water if lightning is in the area?\n\nA: It is definitely NOT safe to swim when lightning is in the area in any type of water. Even if current lightning is a few miles away, lightning can pop up in new parts of the storm very quickly. Salt water conducts electricity, which means that it can easily travel through the water toward you. The lightning current may spread out in all directions and dissipate within 20 feet or so, but don’t bet your life on how close the strike will be. As the highest object on the water, you may be the most likely target. \n\nAnswers archive: Lightning safety and survival\nhttp://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/askjack/archives-lightning-safety.htm\n\n-------------\n\n The voltages involved in lightning are so high that even materials that would normally be considered non-conductive become conductors, including the human body. The voltages are so massive that if they start to travel through a boat's structure - say through its mast - then meet with high resistance (for instance, the hull skin) the current discharge, in its attempt to reach ground, may simply blow a hole in the non-conductive barrier. The safety conscious Captain should make sure that his vessel is properly protected. Reference should be made in detail to the standards for lightning protection as set forth by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and the job should be performed by a licensed marine electrician.\n\nCone of Protection from Lightning - Faraday's Cage\nhttp://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/lightning.htm\n\n------------------------------\n\nElectrical current can easily travel through them and then to you.\n\nLightning protection tips\nhttp://www.aroundcentralflorida.com/features/lightning/
275947
If its sealed so that water cant reach the electrical circuit, then sure.  Lightbulbs are used underwater all the time for photography and filming.
691946
very deep diving with argon , helium oxygen mixtures,very dangerous
1126071
Ok.. listen.. you have to think about this one a little bit\n\nIF everytime a lighting hit the water, everything got electrocuted, then there would be no fish in the sea.. so people that said that are not thinking right.. \n\nnow.. how far do you have to be\nLighting will try to reach ground right? thats the way it works? so it will find the fastest way down.. now Im going out on a limb here, but salt water conducts electricity pretty damn well.. probably better than a human body.. so my guess is, lightning will go straight down into the ocean floor.. \n\nnow.. this doesnt mean you wont die if its near you, because some electric current might choose a different path, but I would say if you are outside of 100 meters you would be ok. But I would get out of the water when a big storm is coming.. not because of lightning, but because the waves might be too strong to swim in
177504
It can be.  The electrical arcs will be searching out a potential path to ground, which may be anything conductive within reach of the discharge surface.   Watched a demonstration of one in a classroom once, it began arcing to the metal tracks holding up the suspended ceiling tiles.  Had there been anything flammable in the ceiling, it could have started a fire.
708172
I have suffered a lot of red-eyes and watery-eyes days during my technical training period while practicing 'Electric Arc Welding' exercises. Although our Swiss instructors adequately informed about the danger of even few seconds of 'accidental' exposure to the sparks from the welding with back up theoretical details, more than half of the students had to suffer anyway! We later saw the same thing repeating in almost all the following batch of trainees and thought that this may be the price you pay for learning this typical task (LOL). However, please read the following excerpt: \n\nAlthough UV and IR light is invisible to the human eye, it nonetheless can have dangerous effects. UV light can damage the eyes in several ways. Excessive exposure to the lowest wavelengths of UV light, also called UV-C (180-290 nm), can cause damage to the cornea as well as the lens. These wavelengths are not common in nature, since they are absorbed by the atmosphere, but are present in some industrial environments, such as electric arc welding. \n\nWelding shades: There are a number of options for welding applications, all of which require shaded lenses to match with the intensity of the electric arc current in use. Attention must be paid to the welding equipment manufacturer's recommendation for weld shade and level of protection required. Welding without the proper precautions can be hazardous, so special care must be given to the type of coverage selected, ranging from safety glasses to face shields to welding hoods and full suits. \n\nBe sure not only to choose the right equipment for a specific application, but also pay close attention to fit as well as function. The right equipment poorly fitted is a significant cause of eye injuries.
404402
It is possible, yes. You will probably not get struck by lightning, especially if you do it in a city (it would be quite a site!), since there are always higher targets for lightning to strike. Soap may not be able to create foam though, there would be acid rain after all...
1110173
electrical discharge in the atmosphere
685568
There are too many variables here to answer.  First off all, the geometry of your electrodes makes a big difference in producing the arc.  Sharp edges will produce an arc much easier than flat surfaces.  Second, what you mostly like need is the minimum voltage to just produce the arc. Many times once the arc is produced you can cut back on the voltage and still maintain the arc. \n\nWhat is it that needs to be 3000C?  The plasma in the arc or the electrodes themselves?