As soon as the weather turns the slightest bit cool, I get shocked all the time. Sometimes when I put my key in the car door lock, you can see a spark. I don't know anyone else who it happens to as frequently. Does anyone know why, or what I can do to make it stop?
2006-10-13 17:37:25 · 4 answers · asked by bluelotus 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
When the weather gets cold, the moisture in the air greatly diminishes. With moisture in the air, it allows excess charge to bleed off objects. Without it, the charge needs something else to let it bleed off. A solid object touching the ground (ie you) works very well.
2006-10-13 17:46:34 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You just have an electric personality âº
Seriously, some people do build up a static charge more easily than others and nobody really knows why. But you may have noticed that you don't feel the shock when you see the arc off of your key. The reason is that the current density is reduced since the discharge path is spread over a larger skin area than if it just arced to a single point on your finger. Just keep a key (or something similar) in your pocket and 'discharge' gourself before you touch anything metallic.
Doug
2006-10-13 17:44:57 · answer #2 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because the air is drier. Dry air doesn't conduct electricity as well as wet air, so charges that build up on surfaces stick there rather than being absorbed or transmitted into the air by water molecules. Those charges get released when negative and positive come near each other, and you get a spark.
2006-10-13 17:45:42 · answer #3 · answered by Brian L 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The air gets a little drier when the weather cools. Happens to me all the time and I don't even drag my feet.
2006-10-13 17:45:14 · answer #4 · answered by Ron D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋