eli5: Why is there a tiny spark sometimes when plugging into an outlet?
In: Physics
The main reason are capacitors inside the devices that load immediately after plugging in. Think of them as tiny rechargeable batteries. They load extremely fast and consume a lot of power in a very short time. Think of it as a very very short short-circuit. The short moment before a stable connection is made means that almost-short-circuit can ionize (charge) air and create what’s called a spark gap. Plugs and outlets are built to withstand this spark.
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