Electricity does not take the path of least resistance. It takes every path available, inversely proportional to that paths resistance.
When the voltage gets high enough, it will literally start ripping molecules apart in order to make its own path.
Also, nice meme, nerd.
It takes every path available, and with high enough voltage, more paths become available
That’s just a new game plus for electricity
High voltage be like: “Fuck you. I’m gonna make my own wire, with blackjack and hookers (and ionization)!”
Never mind carbonizing the path it took along the PCB so future breakdown happen at much lower voltages 😑
PCBs: ✅ Fucked Your shit: ✅ Also fucked Your day: see above
High frequency signals be like: wires? Where we are going we don’t need wires!
Everything is a resistor. It’s just a question of voltage.
Superconductors
Super bad resistor you mean.
- High voltage: is this earth?
- me: heart stops when neurons get fried
You’ll have that when your voltage overcomes the resistance of the air
Sometimes it happens even below the arc breakdown voltage via air… Air molecules are slightly less dense along the surface of a smooth flat surface due to molecular ‘bounce’, so electrons creep along the lower density of a surface.
Hence, creepage on a PCB.
High frequency signals be like: conductors? Where we are going we don’t need conductors!
What’s the center of this copper wire even for, anyway? I’m going around the edges.
Silicon isn’t a conductor, it’s a semiconductor. Also conductivity is dependent on temperature, hot stuff usually conducts easier, though some things conduct easier when they are colder. Even at the low voltage it’s more complicated than “Conductors” and “Insulators” we learn in those ultra basic electronics guides online (or in school if you’re lucky).
Hot stuff always conducts. As in plasma.
Except superconductors often conduct better when they are cold (unfortunately, would be nice if a room temperature one was found but probably isn’t going to happen).