Arc Flash
Definition
Plasma discharge between a charged high-voltage conductor and an earthed object, reaching 10,000-20,000 K. Causes flash burns to skin, ignites clothing, and produces blast barotrauma before direct current contact is established.
Related terms
- Can't Let Go Threshold
- Current level (10-20 mA for AC) at which sustained tetanic muscle contraction prevents voluntary release of a gripped conductor. Critical in domestic-appliance...
- Joule Burn
- Thermal tissue injury at an electrical contact point, produced by the conversion of electrical energy to heat (Q = I²Rt). Characterised by...
- Lichtenberg Figure
- Branching, ferning erythematous skin pattern produced by superficial flashover of lightning current. Pathognomonic of lightning strike. Fades within 24-48 hours; early documentation...
- Metallisation
- Impregnation of vaporised conductor metal into the skin at a high-voltage electrical contact point. Identified by X-ray fluorescence or SEM-EDS. Allows matching...
- Ventricular Fibrillation
- Chaotic, ineffective cardiac electrical activity induced by alternating current (50-60 Hz) at 100-300 mA through the thorax. The primary mechanism of death...
Explained in
- Electrocution: Low-Voltage, High-Voltage and LightningPlasma discharge between a charged high-voltage conductor and an earthed object, reaching 10,000-20,000 K. Causes flash burns to skin, ignites clothing, and pr...