You walk across the rug, reach for the doorknob and..........ZAP!!! You get a static shock.
Or, you come inside from the cold, pull off your hat and......BOING!!! Static electricity makes your hair stand on end. What is going on here? And why do static problems only seem to happen in the winter?
To understand static electricity, we have to learn a little bit about the nature of matter. Or in other words, what is all the stuff around us made of?
2007-03-13 08:44:57
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answer #1
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answered by Backwoods Barbie 7
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Everyone has electric current in their bodies. The static builds up & it will spark, not only on metalic things, but on other people too. It depends a lot on what you are sitting,or walking on how much it builds up. Usually anything nylon,or other "manmade" materials make it happen more often. It happens to me everytime I get out of my car & close the door,because of the seat covers. I know it is going to happen,so I just quickly touch the door & get it over with. As far as I know there is nothing you can do to make it stop doing it except hope that what you are around dosen't make it happen. I just tell everyone it is "just my magnetic personality" ;- )
2007-03-13 08:45:01
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answer #2
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answered by ijustdon'tknow 2
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Static electricity causes the shock. In cold, dry weather, shuffling your feet on a rug, or moving around on a sofa causes SE to build up in your body. Then when you touch a light switch or door knob, you ground yourself and the SE moves from you to the ground. The way to avoid that is to touch the metal part very quickly, then it does not have time to arc from you to the metal.
2007-03-13 08:23:53
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answer #3
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answered by cjones1303 4
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