I always thought it was so the practical joker in the class (why are you all looking at ME?) could turn electrolytic capacitors into fircrackers by using a suicide cord and a wall outlet.
“I always thought it was so the practical joker in the class (why are you all looking at ME?) could turn electrolytic capacitors into fircrackers by using a suicide cord and a wall outlet.”
They took all the fun out of when they started scoring the tops of the cans with an X. Now they just go “PHHHSSSS”.
I had a Model T spark coil. Great for creating a high voltage arc. Excellent for charging a Sprague Orange Drop capacitor. The go "snap" in the palms of unsuspecting folks. Also lots of fun if you fancy the Star Wars "light saber" accomplished with a fluorescent tube glowing from the spark coil. Even better if you have the patience to construct a sizable Tesla coil. Little "fingers" of electricity arcing all the way to the walls (while the foolish sat out in the hallway to watch).