Re: Sparks

["Ludwik Kowalski" <KowalskiL@Mail.Montclair.edu>]

I am a little surprised that dry air is a better conductor than the vacuum.
Cosmic rays produce free charges in the air but not in the vacuum.
Less pressure --> less free charges per unit volume.
What do you mean by "soft" vacuum?

Ludwik Kowalski

brian whatcott wrote:

> A charged body will shed excess charge if it can. But air, particularly dry
> air is an excellent insulator - so much better than the (soft) vacuum.
>  If you gain enough charge from the carpet, your hair will certainly
> indicate, electrometer style, that it is laboriously emitting some.