Electric Arc

An electric arc is a luminous discharge created when a high electrical current flows through a gap between two conductive objects, such as electrodes or wires. This process ionizes the air or surrounding medium, turning it into a plasma—a hot, electrically conductive state. The arc emits intense light, heat, and sometimes sound, and is commonly seen in welding, lightning, and electrical switches. It occurs because the electrical energy overcomes the resistance of the gap, allowing current to continue flowing through the ionized path, maintaining the arc until the circuit is broken or conditions change.