electric arc

noun

Origin of electric arc

First recorded in 1880–85

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

It is still the most brilliant illuminating gas we have, and is rivaled by the electric arc-light only.
Invention | Bradley A. Fiske
He would put a piece of meteorite in the electric arc to see what light it would give; he had never tried the experiment before.
Scientific American Supplement, Vol. XXI., No. 531, March 6, 1886 | Various
They were approaching the electric arc that lighted the entrance to the beach.
A Singular Life | Elizabeth Stuart Phelps
The exact temperature of the electric arc is not known with certainty.
The Story of Great Inventions | Elmer Ellsworth Burns
A mixture of ground coke and lime is introduced into the furnace through which an electric arc has been drawn.
Oxy-Acetylene Welding and Cutting | Harold P. Manly

electric arc

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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