The other day, I was plugging in the fryer to give my first shot at making sweet and sour chicken, and the outlet kinda sparked at me. I was thinking about this just earlier and started wondering: why does electricity usually appear to be bluish? I mean, I know it has to do with electrons moving between atoms and whatnot, but why is itblue??
2007-09-21 16:39:24 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Other - Science
Electricity is not really blue, the air glows blue because of the elemental makeup of the air. It's the same thing when all different colors of "neon" signs get their color from the type of gas that they are filled with and they light up when electricity is sent through them.
2007-09-21 16:50:38 · answer #1 · answered by U Betcha 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
What is blue about electricity is the spark, and the spark is ionized air. Ionized air glows blue because it's so hot, mainly. Arc temperatures are around 5000 K, which is darned tooting hot.
2007-09-21 16:56:36 · answer #2 · answered by gcnp58 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is the wavelength of light that is released when electricity travels through the air. If it were a lower temperature, it might look red. Each temperature corresponds to a wavelength of light, and in turn, a color.
2007-09-21 16:56:41 · answer #3 · answered by Eric P 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The intensity of the heat produced by the spark. It is the same with flames on a fire. If you look at a candle, the part nearest the wick is white, which is the hottest. The outer portions get darker because they are cooler.
2007-09-21 16:50:27 · answer #4 · answered by uphill climb 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋