"Using Paschen's Law, the minimum breakdown in air is calculated to be 327 V at standard atmospheric pressure. This occurs at a distance of 7.5 µm."
That's the statement we need to explore.
As I read it, that statement claims that you cannot have a sustained arc at household voltages- and the voltages are even higher for larger gaps. 7.5 microns is a very small gap. Microscopic, even.
Yet, we've all encountered 'damage from arcing' at contactor points and panel busses.
Can anyone find a 'voltage vs. gap distance' curve?
