# Mad Scientist Equipment **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2003, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116 "2003-04-30T11:30:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aubries](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@aubries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aubries)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/1 "2003-04-30T11:30:49Z")
That V-shaped thing, with a little electric arc that starts at the bottom, moves to the top and disappears, over and over again? You know, that goes, “Bzzzzzzzzzzzt”? What’s that called? ---
**Author:** ![herman\_and\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f1d935/32.png) [@herman\_and\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herman_and_bill)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/2 "2003-04-30T11:32:30Z")
Jacob’s ladder ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/3 "2003-04-30T11:36:01Z")
[A transformer?](http://www.news.cornell.edu/Chronicle/02/8.29.02/Frankenstein_sym.html) > [@](#): > > When the transformer was turned on, bolts of electricity “climbed” up the V-shaped wires. Two huge closed circuit TV screens gave the audience a good view of the arcing streams of electric “plasma,” as Richardson described the volts. ---
**Author:** ![Yossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/9de0a6/32.png) [@Yossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yossarian)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/4 "2003-04-30T11:48:19Z")
Jacob’s Ladder it is. [http://www.bio.miami.edu/rob/tesla.html](http://www.bio.miami.edu/rob/tesla.html) ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/5 "2003-04-30T14:11:32Z")
Out of curiosity (since we’ve answered the OPs question), what is a Jacob’s Ladder used for? Does it have a function or is it just there to look cool? ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/6 "2003-04-30T14:20:06Z")
Looks cool. No practical function, unless you thinking looking cool is an important function. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/7 "2003-04-30T15:53:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tanstaafl \* > \*\*Out of curiosity (since we’ve answered the OPs question), what is a Jacob’s Ladder used for? Does it have a function or is it just there to look cool? \*\* Find a properly insulated skewer. There is no cooler way to roast marshmallows. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/8 "2003-04-30T16:14:21Z")
- - - You can sometimes get a similar effect if you open high-voltage switches under load: here’s a film of a switch (on top of some substation electrical towers) being opened, and the same type of arc happens: [http://205.243.100.155/frames/mpg/345kV\_SWITCH.MPG](http://205.243.100.155/frames/mpg/345kV_SWITCH.MPG) … (-I dunno whose site this is, or how long it’ll be there…) ~ ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/9 "2003-04-30T16:40:59Z")
By combining an enclosed ladder with a source of butane, you can create a convenient, _and practical_ [source of fireballs](http://www.electricstuff.co.uk/jacobphone.html) in your own home. This obviates the need to buy balloons, and mess around outside with matches, in all kinds of nasty weather. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/10 "2003-04-30T17:37:43Z")
Another practical use for a Jacob’s Ladder is disrupting AM radio for everyone on your block. The things blast out RF garbage like nobody’s business. I’ve not tried, but I imagine the sheer quantity of RF these things put out would “swamp” anything within a few yards, including cell phones. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/11 "2003-04-30T17:58:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tanstaafl \* > \*\*Out of curiosity (since we’ve answered the OPs question), what is a Jacob’s Ladder used for? Does it have a function or is it just there to look cool? \*\* A Jacobs ladder does have a practical application. When making neon tubes, high voltage electricity is passed thru the tube while the vacuum is applied. The Jacobs ladder is used as a overload indicator in series with the tube. If you increase the voltage on the bombarding transformer too much, the spark will jump the gap and let you know you are a little too hot. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/12 "2003-04-30T17:59:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tanstaafl \* > \*\*Out of curiosity (since we’ve answered the OPs question), what is a Jacob’s Ladder used for? Does it have a function or is it just there to look cool? \*\* A Jacobs ladder does have a practical application. When making neon tubes, high voltage electricity is passed thru the tube while the vacuum is applied. The Jacobs ladder is used as a overload indicator in parallel with the tube. If you increase the voltage on the bombarding transformer too much, the spark will jump the gap and let you know you are a little too hot. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/13 "2003-04-30T19:48:57Z")
> [@](#): > > When the transformer was turned on, bolts of electricity “climbed” up the V-shaped wires. Two huge closed circuit TV screens gave the audience a good view of the arcing streams of electric “plasma,” as Richardson described the volts. Where have all the science writers gone?!? There’s no reason why “plasma” should be in quotes there. The little zappy things climbing the wires aren’t “sort of” plasma, or approximately plasma. They _are_ plasma, plain and simple. And they’re not “volts”, either. It is a high voltage device, but while the zappy things might be called “bolts”, or even “jolts” (neither of those being a technical term), they’re sure not volts. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mad-scientist-equipment/172116/14 "2003-04-30T20:12:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\*Where have all the science writers gone?!? There’s no reason why “plasma” should be in quotes there. The little zappy things climbing the wires aren’t “sort of” plasma, or approximately plasma. They _are_ plasma, plain and simple. And they’re not “volts”, either. It is a high voltage device, but while the zappy things might be called “bolts”, or even “jolts” (neither of those being a technical term), they’re sure not volts. \*\* Ya just can’t get good help anymore!