How hot does the GTAW arc reach?

• A. Up to 35,000 deg F
• B. Up to 3,500 deg F
• C. Up to 15,000 deg F
• D. Up to 50,000 deg F

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that the GTAW arc is an extremely hot, highly energetic plasma arc. Its heat is concentrated in a tiny region, giving it enough energy density to melt and fuse metals with precision. When you consider how TIG welding works—using a tungsten electrode to generate a stable, intense arc in a shielding gas—the hottest part of that arc reaches temperatures far beyond ordinary flames. Among the options, the one describing this very high heat best matches the arc’s capability to deliver fusion heat at the weld zone. The other choices describe temperatures that are clearly too low to account for the melting action of the GTAW arc, or too far outside typical TIG behavior.