'Jacob's Ladder' info please.

I wouldn't have thought it would be any more than milligrams...

As its only the hot air in the plasma that's giving the upward motion.. a small hot air balloon?

John.

Electroman: Ashman here. Yes I would agree with you on the heat generated effect. I guess what I was looking for was not an answer based on thefacts we know today, to look at the effect and come up with modifications that we just haven't thought about yet. Sort of reverse science fiction. Remember Tiberious in the 60's. We must think of the impossible to create from one mans fantasy of ones mind. I think. But great answer 2007.

If you have enough current, you can also see some very strong electrodynamic (Lorentz - magnetic repulsion) effects. This is seen sometimes in phase-to-phase power line arcs and is also used in rail guns.

If you put your hand between the poles, it will probably lift you clear across the room, where you'll look a lot like BertHickman's avatar.

By the way, there are a whole lot of interesting projects going on right now considering non-rocket lift. The space elevator actually has financial backing. And NASA's doing some interesting stuff regarding satellites trailing long lengths of wire and using it to generate thrust. Google!

Hey Vermin; We have to have the majority against us! Otherwise there would be no doubt in others opinions. I thimk I taught 2 much about that before I speak no good English. Ash. ( P.S., how do get that bouncing little vermin thing going?)

Ash, the nature of a vermin is to bounce.

But since its now been brought up: how do you get that vermin bouncing vermin?

OK, I'll let you in on the secret... It's an animated .gif file. Beats me why they decided to animate .gif files and no others.

Anyway, you need a program to animate your .gif files. There is one at Microsoft that's for free. Google on "animated gifs." When you animate, it's up to you to come up with all the images in-between. ElectroMan's panda is a real piece of art. Whoever animated that should get an Emmy at least!

You're a fine one, Mr. vermin!

Thanks!

It is not just heated air. The arc jumps across the closest conductors which are at the bottom of the "Ladder". The air at this point is ionized, becoming a much better conductor than the surrounding air. Because it is being heated, the ionized air rises to the top of the ladder until it dissipates upward and the lowest resistance again becomes the point at the bottom of the ladder. The arc follows the path of least resistance.

If a ceramic ball with a conductive surface was introduced, it would provide a path of lower resistance. It's weight would prevent it from rising and it would be a very dull display, unless the ball was a sealed vessel.

I thought that's what I said?

Its the heated air caused by the plasma from the arc.....?

Whatever that panda's on, I want some!!!

Google "Rail gun"

Try these links for the very similar issue of using high voltage to create lift.

I have a 400kv ion lifter that will lift 36 ounces. It is not a safe toy and I don't play with it anymore, ouch. Don't ask, enjoy the thoughts. I do have some ideas to create lift using a completely different design than that show in the wiki article. That I am playing with.

No endorsement from me on the antigravity. I included it to show that there is quite a bit of experimentation like this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionocraft