science

Voltage spike

Voltage spike is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Voltage spike rather than just read about it. In short: In electrical engineering, spikes are fast, short-duration electrical transients in voltage (voltage spikes), current (current spikes), or transferred energy (energy spikes) in an electrical circuit. Fast, short duration electrical transients (overvoltages) in the electric potential of a circuit are typically caused by Lightning strikes Power outages Tripped circuit breakers Short circuits Power transitions in other…

Key takeaways

Voltage spike belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Voltage spike to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Voltage spike from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

In electrical engineering, spikes are fast, short-duration electrical transients in voltage (voltage spikes), current (current spikes), or transferred energy (energy spikes) in an electrical circuit. Fast, short duration electrical transients (overvoltages) in the electric potential of a circuit are typically caused by

Lightning strikes Power outages Tripped circuit breakers Short circuits Power transitions in other large equipment on the same power line Malfunctions caused by the power company Electromagnetic pulses (EMP) with electromagnetic energy distributed typically up to the 100 kHz and 1 MHz frequency range. Inductive spikes In the design of critical infrastructure and military hardware, one concern is of pulses produced by nuclear explosions, whose nuclear electromagnetic pulses distribute large energies in frequencies from 1 kHz into the gigahertz range through the atmosphere. The effect of a voltage spike is to produce a corresponding increase in current (current spike). However, some voltage spikes may be created by current sources. Voltage will increase as necessary so that a constant current will flow. Current from a discharging inductor is one example. For sensitive electronics, excessive current can flow if this voltage spike exceeds a material's breakdown voltage, or if it causes avalanche breakdown. In semiconductor junctions, excessive electric current may destroy or severely weaken that device. An avalanche diode, transient voltage suppression diode, varistor, overvoltage crowbar, or a range of other overvoltage protective devices can divert (shunt) this transient current, thereby minimizing voltage. Voltage spikes, also known as surges, may be created by a rapid buildup or decay of a magnetic field, which may induce energy into the associated circuit. However, voltage spikes can also have more mundane causes such as a fault in a transformer or higher-voltage (primary circuit) power wires falling onto lower-voltage (secondary circuit) power wires as a result of accident or storm damage. Voltage spikes may be longitudinal (common) mode or metallic (normal or differential) mode. Some equipment damage from surges and spikes can be prevented by use of surge protection equipment. Each type of spike requires selective use of protective equipment. For example, a common mode voltage spike may not even be detected by a protector installed for normal mode transients. Power increases or decreases which last multiple cycles are called swells or sags, respectively. An uninterrupted voltage increase that lasts more than a minute is called an overvoltage. These are usually caused by malfunctions of the electric power distribution system.

See also Uninterruptible power supply – Electrical device that uses batteries to prevent any interruption of power flow Electric power quality – Measurement of power meeting specifications Surge protector – Protects electrical devices from voltage spikes Flyback diode – Voltage-spike stopping diode across an inductor Voltage sag – Short-duration reduction in the voltage of an electric power distribution system

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Voltage spike

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Voltage spike claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Voltage spike before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Voltage spike ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Voltage spike

In research: Voltage spike appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Voltage spike in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Voltage spike is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Power electronics, Voltage stability, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Voltage spike outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Voltage spike in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Voltage spike means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Voltage spike out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Voltage spike in simple terms?

Why does Voltage spike matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Voltage spike?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Voltage spike.