Static electricity what is it

Normally the atom is in equilibrium with the same number of positive protons in the middle of the atom and electrons. Electrons move easily from one atom to another. They form positive ions where an electron is missing or negative ions a single electron, or an atom with an extra electron.

When this imbalance occurs, it is called static electricity. An electron has an electric charge of - 1. In addition to causing in a painful shock, these sudden high-voltage discharges can provide a source of ignition for flammable substances, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA. Static shock can also damage delicate electronics. According to NASA , a simple spark from a finger can damage sensitive components and render them unusable, so precautions must be taken such as keeping circuit boards in conductive plastic bags and wearing grounding straps to dissipate static charge continuously from your body.

Another source of static charge is the motion of fluids through a pipe or hose. If that fluid is flammable — such as gasoline — a spark from a sudden discharge could result in a fire or explosion. People who handle liquid fuels should take great care to avoid charge buildup and sudden discharge. In an interview, Daniel Marsh, professor of physics at Missouri Southern State University, warned that when putting gasoline in your car, you should always touch a metal part of the car after getting out to dissipate any charge that might have developed by sliding across the seat.

Also, when buying gas for your lawn mower, you should always take the can out of your car and place it on the ground while filling it. This dissipates the static charge continuously and keeps it from building up enough to create a spark. Large tank farms present an even greater danger of fire and explosions, so the National Transportation and Safety Board NTSB has issued guidelines that include minimizing static generation, preventing charge accumulation, avoiding spark discharge, and controlling the environment inside the tank.

Moving gas and vapor can also generate static charge. The most familiar case of this is lightning. According to Martin A. They attached a key to the kite string, and the wet string conducted charge from the cloud to the key which gave off sparks when he touched it. Contrary to some versions of the legend, the kite was not struck by lightning. If it had been, the results could have been disastrous.

Franklin in fact shaped the way we think about electricity. He became interested in studying electricity in Until then, most people thought that electrical effects were the result of mixing of two different electrical fluids. However, Franklin became convinced that there was only one single electric fluid and that objects could have an excess or deficiency of this fluid.

He invented the terms "positive" and "negative," referring to an excess or deficiency, according to the University of Arizona. Today, we know that the "fluid" was actually electrons, but those weren't discovered for about years. According to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory , clouds develop zones of static charge due to warm water droplets in updrafts exchanging electrons cold ice crystals in downdrafts. Anti-static sprays, liquids and cloths prevent the build-up of charge by allowing it to conduct away.

Static electricity can build up in clouds. This can cause a huge spark to form between the ground and the cloud. This causes lightning — a flow of charge through the atmosphere. Here are some examples of dangers associated with static electricity:. Refuelling aircrafts and tankers also poses a particular danger.