Hi there, I'm trying to demonstrate a Lichtenberg Figure to my class, and I've read your article, but I'm not sure of how to actually conduct the experiment, can you elaborate to me of how I can recreate this, such as where do I put the toner, and do I use a hammer if I'm using a Van de Graff generator?
If you are trying to make a Lichtenberg figure but aren't quite sure what to do and don't want to risk electrocuting yourself using trial-and-error, here's a more detailed description of what exactly to do:
You want to direct the static electricity through a conductive metal point onto the acrylic sheet. If you have a flat acrylic plate, you can lay it down, position a nail so the point is touching the center of the plate (maybe use a rubber clamp attached to a stand to hold the nail in place; use an insulator other than your hand to hold the nail in position). Discharge the electricity through the head of the nail. That's it! You made a Lichtenberg figure. However, you probably can't see it.
Examine the acrylic plate. The purpose of the toner is to show you the Lichtenberg figure by sticking to the charged particles on the surface of the plastic. After you make the figure, blow toner across the plate so you can see the figure.
If you have a big enough electric discharge (e.g., from a particle accelerator) you can create a Lichtenberg figure inside of the acrylic. I think that's where a hammer may be useful, because if you rest the hammer (with an insulated handle) on the head of a nail, it provides a larger, more stable target than just the nail. For a big discharge, you can position the nail on the edge of an acrylic plate or the center of a face of an acrylic block. A significant electrical discharge into lucite is going to melt a figure into the material. You can't use toner to see the pattern inside of the block. Use a colored LED to reveal the figure.
Lycopodium and Polythene Sheet Lichtenberg Figures | Lifesaver Spark in the Dark
Photos: Lichtenberg Figures, General Electric Review, Vol. 30, No.3 (1927).
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