fgleich (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

It's obviously a loose connection, caused by moving your magnets around. Probably they are oily, or have some residue, or oxidation that is causing this. The spark is jumping out at the horizontal angle because of the powerful magnetic field of those magnets. Furthermore, voltage doesn't 'stop', it's the current flow that has stopped, because of the incomplete circuit. I'm not sure about any rectifying effect of the magnet material and the nickel coating ( if so, but it could happen, I suppose.

1980PintoMan (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Aren't the magnets just acting as a resistor in one direction and not in the other?

streetfightermatt (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

You are using DC voltage, not AC, that explains the spark.....

prototype9000 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

magnets themselves are not conductive thats just the coating on those magnets which is conductive take the coating off with some sandpaper or a knife and try again some magnets though like steel magnets or iron boron magnets are conductive though

fuckihatesydney (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

he mentions there is lye in the water. if it was distilled water, he wouldn't have had a reading on the second multimeter.

rollyrussells (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

two possibilities maby three one is a static build up in the poly carbonate shell acting like a capacitor possibility %20 th other is he is building up a lyden response in electrostatic porportions possibility %50 tricking us with a van gaf or other electrostatic source %20 other unknown phenomina %10

milannalimm (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

interesting experiment just please termilogy should be used more correctly ..there is no such thing as voltage go through..current go voltage stays...

NOCNOTCAUGHT (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Try a continuity tester or ohm meter at each end of the magnets. I suspect the spark is coming from the surface between the magnets where enough arcing has occurred to limit the flow of current. Remember objects fall back to earth because they long to be with the earth not because of gravity.

1freq (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Read about "Marx Generator".. You are getting an arc due to the air gap between the magnet..I am amazed you are getting that many bubbles using distilled water..

rdavm (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)

Try use a magnet that is that long and its only one, not many together