Bill Turner wrote:

On Fri, 20 Aug 2004 13:58:15 -0500, "Steve Nosko"
wrote:


Arcing is caused by INDUCTANCE.


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The kind of arcing we're talking about is caused by heating at the point
of contact which is sufficient to vaporize a small amount of the
conductor. If significant inductance is present, the current and
therefore the heating can be magnified.

--
Bill, W6WRT
QSLs via LoTW

Inductance doesn't magnify current. In fact, it's a fundamental property
-- even a definition -- of inductance that it resists any change in
current. And to do that, it can elevate the voltage by a whole lot. For
example, if you have current flowing through a coil and break the
connection, you commonly see a spark or arc (and can get a shock even
with a low applied DC voltage). This is caused by the very large voltage
the inductor produces in its effort to keep the current flowing through
what has become an open circuit.

Roy Lewallen, W7EL