Static Electricity

Static electricity (or simply static charge) is an imbalance of electric charges within or on the surface of a material.

For instance, you might have seen a chain hanging at the back of a truck carrying inflammable products, like gas or oil and you might wonder what is its purpose? Well! The truck is usually insulated on the ground. However, the contact of the rubber tires on the road, and even the air blowing past can build up significant electrical charges, which may create the hazard of an ignition point for flammable vapour. So, to stop this danger, a hanging chain is tied at the back so that the charge flows down through it and the danger of fire is nullified (or the loss of static electricity); this is how static electricity works.

Now, here on this page, we will get to learn about what is static electricity along with the uses of static electricity and various static electricity examples.

How is Static Electricity Created?

We can create a static electric charge by rubbing two surfaces in contact that are at some distance. Also, at least one of the surfaces has a high resistance to electric current (and is, therefore, an electrical insulator).

So, this is how static current is produced. So, what is static energy? Let us understand how it is generated.  

Static Charge: How does Static Electricity Work?

Have you ever walked throughout the room to pet your dog, however, were given a surprise instead? Perhaps you took your cap off on a dry winter’s day and had a “hair elevating” at the wall after rubbing it against your clothes?

Why does this stuff happen? Is it magic? No, it’s now no longer magic; it’s static electricity!

All physical items are made from atoms. Inside an atom are protons, electrons, and neutrons. The protons are undoubtedly charged, the electrons are negatively charged, and the neutrons are neutral.

Therefore, all matters are made up of charges. Opposite charges attract each other (negative to positive). Like charges repel each other (positive to positive or negative to negative). Most of the time positive and negative charges are balanced in an object, which makes that object neutral.

Static electricity is the consequence of an imbalance between negative and positive charges in an object. These charges can accumulate at the surface of an object till they find a way to be discharged. One of the best ways to discharge them is via a circuit.

When you rub a balloon against your clothes and it sticks to the wall, you are including a surplus of electrons (negative charges) to the surface of the balloon. The wall is now more undoubtedly charged than the balloon. As the two come in contact, the balloon will stick due to the rule that opposites attract (positive to negative).

So, this is how we can generate static energy by using day-to-day examples. Now, let us go through various applications of static electricity.

Uses of Static Electricity

Below, you can find the real-life static electricity examples that will help you understand why do we have static electricity and its significance:

• Pollution manage

Static electricity is utilised in pollutants management by making use of a static fee to dust particles in the air after which collecting those charged particles on a plate or collector of the opposite electric charge. Such devices are frequently known as electrostatic precipitators

• Smokestacks

Factories use static electricity to lessen pollutants coming from their smokestacks. They supply the smoke with an electric-powered charge. When it travels by electrodes of the opposite charge, most of the smoke particles cling to the electrodes. This maintains the pollutants from going out into the atmosphere.

(Image will be Uploaded Soon)

• Air fresheners

Some people purchase what is known as air ionizers to freshen and purify the air of their homes. The work is on a similar principle as the smokestack pollutants manage. These devices strip electrons from smoke molecules, dust particles, and pollen in the air, simply as what happens in creating static electricity.

These charged dust and smoke particles are then drawn to and stuck to a plate at the device with the opposite charge. After a while, lots of the pollutants are drawn from the air.

Since charged particles may even accumulate on neutral surfaces, a number of them can stick to the wall near the ionizer, making it very dirty and difficult to clean.

• Xerography

Your photocopier or Xerox system makes use of static electricity to replicate print to a page. This is done via the science of xerography.

One form of this device electrically charges ink so that it will accumulate on the paper in the detailed areas. Another model of a photocopier makes use of expenses to paste the link to a drum, which then transfers it to the paper.

• Painting cars

Some car manufacturers use static electricity to assist them to paint the cars they make. The way this works is that they first prepare the automobile's surface and then put it in a paint booth. Next, they supply the paint with an electrical charge after which they spray an excellent mist of paint into the booth. The charged paint particles are attracted to the car and stick to the body, just like a charged balloon sticks to a wall. Once the paint dries, it sticks lots better to the car and is smoother because it is evenly distributed.

From our above text on what is static electricity, we understand various applications of static electricity that include pollution control, Xerox machines, and painting. All these devices use the principle that opposite electrical charges attract. There are other uses involving the properties of repulsion and the production of static electricity sparks. Now, let us go through some facts on static electricity.

Facts on Static Electricity

Below are the facts on static electricity and electric discharge:

• Lightning is a huge form of static electricity that is formed when air rubs against the clouds!

• Static electricity never causes a high current unless it is on a larger scale, like lightning.

• By rubbing silk or a glass rod, we can produce positive-charged static electricity.

• For negative-charged static current, rub the fur on a plastic or rubber rod.

• Static electricity can also travel at the speed of light, i.e., 186, 282 miles per second!

• A spark of static electricity can measure thousands of volts, however, has very little current that lasts only for a short span.