Science Project on How to Create a Spark

By Christopher Carol, eHow Contributor

updated: September 11, 2009

Think about the last time you experienced a thunderstorm: The sky was pitch black until all at
once it was illuminated by a streak of lightning arcing across the sky. The light show is followed
by an ominous crack of thunder and the sky becomes dark and silent until the next bolt. While
you can't create lightning bolts in a classroom setting (at least not safely), you can create a small
project about electricity by examining static electricity.

Gather the Basic Materials

1. This experiment requires a few basic materials. You need a piece of shag carpet; a wool
carpet or throw blanket tend to work the best. You will also need two metal bars; they do
not have to be large or thick, but they should be made out of some type of metal (copper
tends to work particularly well). You should also wear a pair of rubber gloves while
demonstrating the effects of static electricity in this experiment.

Experiment: Creating a Spark

2. To begin the experiment, set up one of the metal bars so that it is standing on its own.
One way to do this would be to use a set of vice grips. You could also lay the metal bar
on the table and duct-tape it down. Next, pick up the second metal bar. Make sure you are
wearing your plastic gloves. Dim the lights and rub the metal bar vigorously between the
wool blanket. Essentially, what you are creating is a metal bar that has a higher charge
than the metal bar attached to the table. After you are satisfied that you have charged the
metal bar enough, move the charged bar to the bar attached to the table. If the bar is
charged enough, a small spark will be created as electricity arcs from the charged bar to
the bar attached to the table.

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Spark Gap Experiments

UPDATED: February 20, 2006
Excess electrical energy has been discovered in spark gaps using Carbon/Graphite -
Thoriated Tungsten rods with a Coefficient of Performance (COP) greater than 100%
across the gap. A Wimshurst Generator is used as a primary high-voltage dynamo. A
Tesla-like step-down transformer T1 with a ferrite rod is used to efficiently reduce the
high-voltage down to safe practical levels, which can easily be distributed and
measured. As shown in Fig. 1, successive electric discharges or Electrum Validum
(EVs) discharges are generated, and their associated energy is collected in a 10uf low
loss capacitor during a given period of time.

The energy stored in a capacitor is calculated as follows:

E = ½ C V²

Where,
E is the energy stored in the capacitor.
C is the capacitance.
V is the voltage across the capacitor.

The Wimshurst Generator used in this experiment is capable of generating voltages up

to 75,000 volts, and is available from Edmund Scientific.
 Figure 1. Spark gap experiments using the Wimshurst Generator.

Fig. 2 details the spark gap test platform. Above center-left shows the spark gap where
excess electrical energy is observed. This energy is transferred through a Tesla-like
step-down transformer T1 where the single layer primary winding of the transformer is
shown in yellow and the single layer secondary winding is shown in red. Its imperative
to use single layering because it minimizes electric arcing. A ferrite rod is used in this
transformer to improve efficiency by increasing its' overall inductance. A knife switch is
used to direct the flow of energy to either a capacitor or a LED display.
Figure 2. Detail of the test platform.
Figure 3. Close-up view of Carbon/Graphite - Thoriated Tungsten spark gap.
 Figure 4. A variety of Tesla-like transformers are tested.

Fig 5. shows the electrical schematic of the test platform. A high electrostatic voltage is
generated by counter-rotating disks and the energy that's collected is stored in Leyden
Jars. This stored energy is discharged through a large spark gap with a gap width of
approximately 3/4", as shown. The circuit is completed by connecting the
Carbon/Graphite - Thoriated Tungsten spark gap rods and the Tesla-like transformer T1
to the base of the Leyden Jars.
 Figure 5. Wimshurst Generator test platform electrical schematic using 333 turn
primary.

Fig. 6 details the spark gap test results. The Wimshurst Generator is operated for a time
period of 15 seconds. At the end of this period, the voltage across capacitor C1 is
logged. The test platform is operated with and without the Carbon/Graphite - Thoriated
Tungsten rod spark gap, and the resulting voltage is logged.
 Figure 6. Test results using 333 turn primary.

Knowing the energy stored in the capacitor C1 and assuming an ideal system, its
possible to calculate the Coefficient of Performance (the COP) as shown below. The
maximum COP is 139% as shown in Fig. 7.
Figure 7. The COP calculation for 333 turn primary.
Figure 8. Wimshurst Generator test platform electrical schematic using 90 turn primary.
 Figure 9. Test results using 90 turn primary.

Figure 10. The COP calculation for 90 turn primary.

Figure 11. Wimshurst Generator test platform electrical schematic using 780 turn
primary.
 Figure 12. Test results using 780 turn primary.

Figure 13. The COP calculation for 780 turn primary.

My conclusion is the Carbon Arc is performing as a NEGATIVE resistance-like device in
every test case. The bottom line is that there is MORE energy charging up capacitor C1
with the spark gap than without, and the greater the primary inductance, the greater the
amount of energy that is collected. Therefore, the Carbon Arc looks very promising as
providing excess energy, once properly harnessed.

http://205.243.100.155/frames/longarc.htm

http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/marxgen.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spark-gap_transmitter