- #1
davidbenari
- 466
- 18
I've been asked to do an electric bug swatter in class, and several questions have come up to my mind.
Whenever two rackets (each connected to a different terminal on the capacitor) touched, a spark emerged. This spark is supposedly ionised gas, which makes sense. But why do people say that when this spark emerges, the capacitor has discharged?
I mean, the capacitor is charged with electrons, and I don't see how it can be discharged other than by losing those electrons. When the air ionises, does it also suck in the electrons in the wire?
If you touch this spark, do you absorb the charge in the capacitor?
Does it make sense/can one calculate the current of this spark?How exactly would a capacitor discharge here?
Thanks.
Whenever two rackets (each connected to a different terminal on the capacitor) touched, a spark emerged. This spark is supposedly ionised gas, which makes sense. But why do people say that when this spark emerges, the capacitor has discharged?
I mean, the capacitor is charged with electrons, and I don't see how it can be discharged other than by losing those electrons. When the air ionises, does it also suck in the electrons in the wire?
If you touch this spark, do you absorb the charge in the capacitor?
Does it make sense/can one calculate the current of this spark?How exactly would a capacitor discharge here?
Thanks.