In SMAW welding, increasing arc length affects arc voltage by doing what?

In SMAW welding, increasing arc length affects arc voltage by doing what?

• A. Increasing arc voltage
• B. Decreasing arc voltage
• C. No effect
• D. Causes oscillation

Answer: (A)

Arc voltage increases as arc length grows because the longer gap requires more potential to ionize and sustain the arc. The电 arc is the path through ionized gas, and a longer distance means the electric field must push the current farther, so more voltage is needed to maintain conduction. In a typical SMAW setup with a constant-voltage power source, this shows up as a higher arc voltage when you increase the gap.