Re: [RFI] RFI, Power Company.

["K1TTT" <K1TTT@ARRL.NET>]

Even places where they try to define a difference admit that common usage
often confuses the terms:
http://depts.washington.edu/vehfire/ignition/electrical/arcdef.html

Historically a spark was usually considered a short duration event where an
arc was an on-going event... thus a spark-gap transmitter worked because it
created many short duration sparks as the gap rotated, but an arc lamp
produced a continuous discharge.  Some places will also consider the voltage
needed.  Typically the spark-over voltage required to bridge a gap is much
higher than the arc maintaining voltage, which is why an arc welder or arc
lamp can maintain its arc when the electrodes are separated after the
initiation.

So looking at your definitions below... the critical item is the time... the
spark is 'short duration' where the arc has no specific duration.

Dictionary Definitions :

Arcing:
A luminous discharge of electricity across a gap  between electrodes.

Sparking:
 A luminous disruptive electrical discharge of very short duration between
two conductors separated by a gas (as air)

David Robbins K1TTT
e-mail: mailto:k1ttt@arrl.net
web: http://wiki.k1ttt.net
AR-Cluster node: 145.69MHz or telnet://k1ttt.net



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