electric arc

American  

noun

1. arc.

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electric arc Scientific  

1. An electric current, often strong, brief, and luminous, in which electrons jump across a gap. Electric arcs across specially designed electrodes can produce very high heats and bright light, and are used for such purposes as welding and illumination in spotlights. Unwanted arcs in electrical circuits can cause fires. Lightning is a case of an electric arc between one cloud and the earth or another cloud, as are sparks caused by discharges of static electricity.

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Etymology

Origin of electric arc

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

electric arc

The company expects to build plants at the site to process the ore for use in electric arc furnaces with scrap steel to make new steel.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

In October 2024, Tata Steel's last blast furnace was switched off, with the aim of building a new electric arc furnace by the end of 2027.

From BBC ● May 31, 2026

The government's steel measures were announced by Business Secretary Peter Kyle in Port Talbot, in Wales, where steel maker Tata is building an electric arc furnace which will make steel by melting scrap metal.

From BBC ● Mar. 18, 2026

The loss was driven by the tariff costs and lower shipments of steel, as well as the company’s accelerated transition toward making its steel using electric arc furnaces, Algoma said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026

The sides of the ladder are the spectra furnished by the incandescent carbons of the lamp, and the cross pieces are the spectrum of the electric arc filling the space between the carbons.

From A Text-Book of Astronomy by George C. Comstock