An electrical breakdown of a gas that produces a prolonged electrical discharge is called what?

An electrical breakdown of a gas that produces a prolonged electrical discharge is called what?

• A. Electric Arc
• B. Electrical Fault
• C. Short Circuit
• D. Sparking

Answer: (A)

An electric arc is a sustained discharge that occurs after a gas becomes ionized by an electrical breakdown, creating a continuous conductive path between electrodes. The key here is that the discharge lasts for a period of time, not just a quick spark; once the gas breaks down and a plasma channel forms, current can keep flowing as long as voltage and current are supplied. This distinguishes it from sparking, which is brief and transient across a gap, and from a short circuit or electrical fault, which describe fault conditions rather than the specific phenomenon of a sustained gas discharge.

An electric arc is a sustained discharge that occurs after a gas becomes ionized by an electrical breakdown, creating a continuous conductive path between electrodes. The key here is that the discharge lasts for a period of time, not just a quick spark; once the gas breaks down and a plasma channel forms, current can keep flowing as long as voltage and current are supplied. This distinguishes it from sparking, which is brief and transient across a gap, and from a short circuit or electrical fault, which describe fault conditions rather than the specific phenomenon of a sustained gas discharge.