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N-Memphis-ExPat t1_iz9vcnh wrote

So, I understand that a spark, such as lightning or a spark plug spark, is visible because it excites the atoms of the gasses it passes through. Why is the emitted light predominately blue, or is that just my imagination?

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danthedarkness t1_izajelx wrote

The blue comes from the gases in the environment. For lightning and other common sparks, it almost certainly happens in air. The combination of nitrogen and oxygen gives you the blue purple tint. BUT you can see a great example of different colored ‘sparks’ in neon lights! They fill the glass tubes with different gases to get different colors!

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Yaver_Mbizi t1_izaz732 wrote

>neon lights

> different gases

Well... Can't be that different if they're all just neon, can they?..)

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danthedarkness t1_izb1uq3 wrote

So that has been a misnomer for a while now. They used to use neon, which gives off the orange color but has since use other gases to produce the myriad of colors you see.

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