Thursday Thirteen v.3
Thirteen Little Quirks Don't Judge 1. Shaking Hands. I'm starting to get a little goofy about shaking hands. When a stranger shakes my hand, I am uneasy until I can find a chance to wash. 2. Door Handles. Likewise. I usually grip the handle someplace where I think others aren't. When I can, I push with my elbow or closed fist. I don't get sick much, either. 3. I trim my underarm hair. I think that's good for everyone involved. 4. Change . I almost never use change. If something is $1.01 and I have a nickel, they're not getting it. Take a penny, leave a penny? Go ahead, I have a change jar to maintain. 5. Penmanship and spelling. A high priority. If you saw my handwriting, you would know what I mean. Strangers compliment me on it. I look at it as both artwork and a courtesy to the people I'm communicating with that they can read and comprehend whan I'm doing. The downside is that I can never get away with anything based on not being able to read my handw...
Comments
This is the same phenomenon as Jacob's Ladder. Once the arc is formed (i.e., the air is ionized), it is easier for the electricity to follow the existing arc than it is to form a new one through unionized air. However, the ionized air is hot and expands so that it is less dense than the surrounding air. That makes it float up, just like flames from a fire.
So the arc moves up and gets longer until it requires more voltage to maintain than is available. It breaks. Then if enough voltage is available, a new arc forms. In this case, the bar has moved so far (on purpose) so that a new arc cannot form and the circuit is broken.
A smaller example is the Jacob's ladder that you could see in the old 1930s Frankenstein movies. You can sometimes buy small ones at novelty shops. This is much bigger, and much cooler.