Static Electricity

Static Electricity

1. Materials become charged when friction occurs. This results in either electrons being added or removed from the material

2. Removal or addition of electrons depends on the material

3. If a material loses electrons it becomes positively charged, if it gains electrons it becomes negatively charged

4. Oppositely charged materials attract

5. Materials with the same charge repels

6. Your photocopier or Xerox machine uses static electricity to copy print to a page. This is done through the science of xerography. One version of this device electrically charges ink so that it will stick to the paper in the designated areas. Another version of a photocopier uses charges to stick the ink to a drum, which then transfers it to the paper.

7. Some automobile manufacturers use static electricity to help them paint the cars they make. The way this works is that they first prepare the car's surface and then put it in a paint booth. Next, they give the paint an electrical charge and then spray a fine 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 much better to the car and is smoother because it is evenly distributed.

8. Static electricity is used in pollution control by applying a static charge to dirt particles in the air and then collecting those charged particles on a plate or collector of the opposite electrical charge. Such devices are often called electrostatic precipitators.

9. It is dangerous when there are flammable gases or a high concentration of oxygen. A spark could ignite the gases and cause an explosion.

10. It is dangerous when you touch something with a large electric charge on it. The charge will flow through your body causing an electric shock. This could cause burns or even stop your heart. A person could die from an electric shock.

11. It is a nuisance when dust and dirt are attracted to insulators such as TV screens and computer monitors.

12. It is a nuisance when clothes made from synthetic materials cling to each other and to the body, especially just after they've been in a tumble dryer