What is an Electrostatic Discharge?

Answer 1

Electrostatic Discharge - An event describing the change of Electrical Energy from a static to dynamic state.

Electricity is commonly thought of as millions of electrons moving through a wire. This is a dynamic state, the electrons are moving. In the case of DC (Direct Current) the electrons are all moving in one direction. With AC (Alternating Current) the electrons alternate the direction they move along the wire. When the electrons (or other current carriers) are not moving, they are said to be in a static state.


Normally, all electrical charges seek to balance out with the surrounding environment, often referred to as 'ground'. When there is no path for these electrons to travel, they collect in one spot, resulting in a static (Non-moving) charge. This can happen on a balloon, inside a cloud, doorknobs, and even your hair!

Using the example of the cloud, hot and cold air running past each other, changing weather systems, cold fronts, and other phenomena can all cause a cloud to become charged with these extra current carriers.

Air is an effective insulator, meaning the air doesn't allow current to travel through it. When there are enough particles, vapor molecules, and other impurities that DO allow current to pass through them collect, the built up charge in the cloud may become high enough (or the resistance of the air becomes low enough) to allow the built-up charge to equalize with the 'ground'. This can be seen as a lightening bolt, which is nothing more then thousands of amperes of electrical current equalizing the cloud's electrostatic charge with the surrounding environment.

This is referred to as Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), because the cloud is 'discharging' its 'static (non-moving) electricity' to the surrounding environment. ESD doesn't have to be as large, or impressive, as a fantastic lightening display. This discharge of electrical energy can be so slight as to be almost imperceptible.

Most often, this is a concern in handling delicate electrical equipment, such as microprocessors. You'll commonly see a small symbol on the packaging of these pieces of equipment telling you they are more sensitive then normal, and can be damaged by this sudden release of static electricity. Just as these charges can build up in a cloud, they can collect in the human body.

Unless you discharge this static electricity (by touching something metal, or wearing a static wristband connected to something metal) you can damage these sensitive pieces of equipment by doing nothing more then touching them.

Follow the links below to see some pictures of the symbols mentioned above, and learn more about ESD (Electrostatic Discharge)

Answer 2

An electrostatic discharge is the breakdown of air due to high potentials built up as a result of static charge accumulation. Static charge buildup can occur when two different insulating substances rub against each other, like the soles of shoes against a nylon carpet. Small amounts of charge can build up to very high potentials that can cause breakdown in air. Since the amount of charge is usually small, these discharges do not carry a lot of current and are harmless.

However, lightning, which also is an electrostatic discharge, carries huge amounts of current and can be deadly.

Answer 3

When there is a difference in potential between two objects, an electric discharge will accrue in order to equal things out. In an atom, there are protons, neutrons and electrons. To keep it short, as something becomes electrified, an electron (valance electron-orbits the nucleus) will "jump" to an adjacent atom. Now three atoms are out of whack, the atom before the first will lose its electron to the atom that had its jump, and the third atom will push its extra to the next, so on so on. This cycle will continue until an event, like touching a doorknob, will offer a way for the system to equal out, i.e. the electron(s) that started the whole mess goes to ground and once the others catch up, all the atoms will then have the same # of valence electrons, no longer having difference in potential.

Answer 4

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is the surprising and temporary electric powered modern that flows at the same time as an additional of electric powered can charge, saved on an electrically insulated merchandise, well-knownshows a route to an merchandise at a diverse electric powered skill (consisting of floor). The time period is often used contained in the electronics and different industries to describe temporary undesirable currents that would reason damage to digital kit.On plane, static dischargers are used on the trailing edges of wings and different surfaces. yet another clarification for ESD damage is through electrostatic induction. this happens at the same time as an electrostatically charged merchandise is only placed close to a conductive, yet electrically impartial merchandise. The presence of the interior sight charged merchandise motives electric powered costs to redistribute themselves on the exterior of the impartial merchandise.

Answer 5

Hope this helps:

ESD, or ElectroStatic Discharge, is one of the few things an individual can do to damage or destroy his or her computer or hardware components. Much like the shock you receive when rubbing your feet on the carpet and touching something metal, ESD can occur when working in your computer and will cause components you touch to no longer work properly. ESD can occur without the user feeling a shock and will only occur while working on the inside of the computer or handling an expansion card

Answer 6

Walk across a deep pile carpet in your stocking feet and touch a metal object. You'll find out.
Electricity will take the path of least resistance.
When you walk across the floor, your socks and the carpet create an electrical charge...you are now storing the electircity in your clothing/body. In effect, you are now a capicitor.
When you contact something with a lower charge, the electricity will transfer to that object.

Answer 7

EDS is electricity that builds up in you. You know when you get out of your car and it shocks you just a little, that is the release of that electricity.