There are different kinds of electricity, apart from the kinds that power our mobile devices or light up our homes. Static electricity is different from electricity that is generated by a turbine or chemical batteries. Here are 9 quick and interesting facts about static electricity for National Static Electricity day!
1. Static electricity is the buildup of electrical charges, made up of positive and negative ions, on the surface of an object. These charges stay in one place, hence the name static electricity.
2. Static charges build up when two surfaces rub against each other. When this happens, electrons move from one surface to another, so that one object will have a positive charge and the other, a negative charge. Rubbing two objects quickly, such as your feet on the carpet, will cause the buildup of a large charge.
3. You can use static electricity to power up an ordinary household light bulb using a balloon and your hair. You just need to blow up a balloon and tie off the end, rub it vigorously against the hair on your head for a minute or two and go into a dark room with your light bulb. Touch the two metal prongs of the light bulb against the surface of the balloon and watch it glow! Repeat rubbing the balloon to build up more static electricity. The more you do so, the more electricity builds up on the surface until you see more light.
4. Lighting is perhaps the best example of this kind of electricity. Scientists believe that lighting comes from the exchange of charges between ice particles within the clouds. Lighting is considered a bigger and more powerful version of the static electricity that we see on a daily basis.
5. During the Great Depression, huge amounts of swirling dust created large amounts of static electricity that were strong enough to render a person unconscious. This also resulted to electrical charges erupting from metal fences and the shorting out of electrical systems in cars. People resorted to carrying metal chains to offset the static charges.
6. Static electricity charges are the same charges that cause materials to cling together or your hair to stand on end. You can create static electricity by rubbing silk on a glass rod, fur or hair against a plastic comb.
7.Top uses of static electricity include printers and photocopiers, paint sprayers, air filters and dust removal. When it comes to photocopiers, static charges attract the ink or toner to the paper, resulting to a photocopy.
8. Static electricity can cause damage to electronic devices that have sensitive computer chips installed inside them. These chips are often encased in special containers or bags to protect them from static electricity damage. However, static shocks are generally not dangerous because the current is low.
9. Famous static electricity devices that show the amazing properties of static electricity include the Wimshurst electrostatic generator, the Bonetti machine and the Van de Graaf generator. The latter is very common in science museum, which you can see in exhibits for electricity demonstrations.
If you are in need of any residential or commercial electrical services in Baldwin County or Mobile, Alabama look no further than Professional Electric! Visit us online at www.ProfessionalElectric.biz and connect with us onFacebookand Twitter!
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