, ▁colored ▁g els ▁may ▁be ▁used . ▁ ▁Scient ific ▁explanation ▁of ▁fl as ht ub es ▁▁ ▁St ro be ▁lights ▁usually ▁use ▁fl as ht ub es ▁with ▁energy ▁supplied ▁from ▁a ▁capac itor , ▁an ▁energy ▁storage ▁device ▁much ▁like ▁a ▁battery , ▁but ▁capable ▁of ▁charg ing ▁and ▁re le asing ▁energy ▁much ▁faster . ▁ ▁In ▁a ▁capac itor - based ▁stro be , ▁the ▁capac itor ▁is ▁charged ▁up ▁to ▁around ▁ 3 0 0 ▁V . ▁Once ▁the ▁capac itor ▁has ▁been ▁charged , ▁to ▁trigger ▁the ▁flash ▁a ▁small ▁amount ▁of ▁power ▁is ▁di vert ed ▁into ▁a ▁trigger ▁transform er , ▁a ▁small ▁transform er ▁with ▁a ▁high ▁turns ▁ratio . ▁This ▁generates ▁the ▁weak ▁but ▁high - vol t age ▁sp ike ▁required ▁to ▁ion ize ▁the ▁x en on ▁gas ▁in ▁a ▁flash ▁t ube . ▁An ▁arc ▁is ▁created ▁inside ▁the ▁t ube , ▁which ▁acts ▁as ▁a ▁path ▁for ▁the ▁capac itor ▁to ▁dis charge ▁through , ▁allowing ▁the ▁capac itor ▁to ▁quickly ▁release ▁its ▁energy ▁into ▁the ▁arc . ▁The ▁capac itor ' s ▁energy ▁rapidly ▁he ats ▁the ▁x en on ▁gas , ▁creating ▁an ▁extremely ▁bright ▁pl asma ▁dis charge , ▁which ▁is ▁seen ▁as ▁a ▁flash . ▁ ▁A ▁stro be ▁without ▁a ▁capac itor ▁storage ▁device ▁simply ▁dis charg es ▁main s ▁volt ages ▁across ▁the ▁t ube ▁once ▁it ' s ▁fired . ▁This ▁type ▁of ▁stro be ▁requires ▁no ▁charg ing ▁time