​Static Electricity

Amazingly we see static electricity every single day; it even builds up on us.

Have you ever rubbed your feet on the carpet and then zapped something when you touch it?

​It's Static

​Well that’s exactly what static electricity is.

​

If you’ve had a bad hair day and it sticks straight up, well this means that your hair has been charged. Maybe you don’t want to go to school like that!

​Sticky Clothes

​Then there’s another irritating one, when pants or skirts stick to your legs, and they just keep on irritating you, no matter what you do.

There you go! Another way we see static electricity every day.

​So what is it?

​Static electricity is the build-up of an electrical charge on the surface of an object.

​The reason that it’s actually called static electricity is because the charges stay in one area for some time and don’t flow or move to a different area.

Makes sense, doesn’t it

​Atoms are made up of neutrons, protons, and electrons. The electrons spin around on the outside.

A static charge happens when two surfaces touch each other and the electrons move from one object to another. One of the objects will have a positive charge and the other a negative charge.

If you rub an object quickly, like a balloon, or your feet on the carpet, these will build-up a rather large charge

​What can it do?

​Static electricity has quite a few uses, here are some:

It is used in printers and photocopiers where static electric charges attract the ink, or toner, to the paper. Other uses include paint sprayers, air filters, and dust removal.

​Cool Facts

​A spark of static electricity can measure thousands of volts, but has very little current and only lasts for a short while. It has small amounts of power or energy.

Lightning is also static electricity, and it is powerful and dangerous.

​Cool Facts Continued

​Even though lightning is really dangerous, about 70% of people who are struck by lightning survive.

Temperatures in a lightning bolt can hit 50,000°F or 27,760°C. Wow, that’s seriously hot!