______ can cause burns to the skin up to 10 feet away.

• A. Arcs
• B. Fire
• C. Sparks
• D. Heat

Answer: (A)

An electrical arc releases a huge amount of radiant heat and light in a very short burst, known as an arc flash. That radiant energy can injure skin even when you’re not in contact with the source, potentially causing burns at a distance like up to 10 feet away. The danger isn’t just contact heat; the arc’s radiant heat can affect exposed skin and eyes quickly, which is why arc incidents are treated with strict distance and PPE requirements.

Sparks are smaller and typically far less intense, producing localized heat mainly from contact or very close exposure. Fire involves flames that usually require closer proximity or direct flame exposure to burn, and heat alone is a general term that doesn’t specify the intense radiant energy from an arc. So the option describing an electrical arc best matches the scenario of burns at that distance.