Can increasing voltage after ionization lead to nuclear explosions?

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In summary, when a gas is ionized, it can conduct electricity. Increasing the voltage applied to the gas after ionization will not cause it to explode, as ionization is an electronic phenomenon and not nuclear. The gas may overheat and burn, but it will not explode. To cause nuclear reactions with ionized gas, a very high voltage is needed, such as in the experiment done by Cockroft and Walton in 1932 where a voltage of 125 kV was used to cause fission in lithium targets.
  • #1
sonurobots
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I know that when a gas gets ionized it will conduct electricity but what will happen if we increase the voltage even after ionization?will it explode eventually?if it will explode will that be in nuclear label ?
 
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  • #2
Why would an ionized gas explode?
 
  • #3
sonurobots said:
...when a gas gets ionized it will conduct electricity but what will happen if we increase the voltage even after ionization?

What happens if we increase the voltage applied to a conductor? It won't explode. You might be pointing at the rapid expansion of the plasma. But these will never be under the nuclear label. Ionisation is an electronic phenomenon. Not nuclear.
 
  • #4
PhysicoRaj said:
What happens if we increase the voltage applied to a conductor? It won't explode.

But after a certain voltage the conductor overheats ands burns .Then why won't the gas burn ?
 
  • #5
The filament doesn't burn. It melts. Burning requires an oxidizer such as oxygen to be present
 
  • #6
High enough voltage, in principle, can cause nuclear reactions, by accelerating fully ionised atoms (nuclei), which then collide with each other or the electrodes.

As regards burning, air consists of nitrogen and oxygen. They react at high temperatures (but not very high).
 
  • #7
voko said:
High enough voltage, in principle, can cause nuclear reactions.

How much high voltage is required ? how to calculate it?
 
  • #8

Related to Can increasing voltage after ionization lead to nuclear explosions?

1. What is ionization?

Ionization is the process by which an atom or molecule gains or loses one or more electrons, resulting in a charged particle called an ion.

2. What happens to the atom or molecule after ionization?

After ionization, the atom or molecule becomes a charged particle, either a positively charged ion (cation) or a negatively charged ion (anion). This can affect the physical and chemical properties of the particle.

3. What factors influence the degree of ionization?

The degree of ionization depends on factors such as the energy of the incident radiation or particles, the type of atom or molecule, and the surrounding environment.

4. Can ionization occur in everyday objects?

Yes, ionization can occur in everyday objects such as air, water, and even living organisms. It can also occur in industrial processes and in outer space.

5. What are the practical applications of ionization?

Ionization has many practical applications in various fields such as medicine, energy production, and environmental science. It is used in technologies such as X-ray machines, nuclear power plants, and air purifiers.

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