Plastics do develop static charge. Ever had those Styrofoam peanuts stick to your hands?
Regards. Max. K 4 O D S. Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Transistor site http://www.funwithtransistors.net Vacuum tube site: http://www.funwithtubes.net Music site: http://www.maxsmusicplace.com To subscribe to the fun with tubes group send an email to, [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 3:07 PM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] What Causes Static Electricity > thank you everyone for your informative responses to my inquirey on > static. > It is interesting how electrons can be rubbed off, and makes me wonder > about friction and charges. > > What is it about hair, combs, balloons, and clothings? > Why not a wood door? andwhy not plastics? > > On Thu, 1 Mar 2007, Ray Boyce wrote: > >> Hi Everyone >> Static electricity is usually caused when certain materials are rubbed >> against each other, like wool on plastic or the soles of your shoes on >> the >> carpet. >> The process causes electrons to be pulled from the surface of one >> material >> and relocated on the surface of the other material. >> >> Rubbing a balloon on a wool sweater >> creates charges on the surfaces >> >> The material that loses electrons ends up with an excess of positive (+) >> charges. The material that gains electrons ends up an excess of negative >> (-) >> charges >> on its surface. >> >> Electrons pulled from orbit >> >> The gain or loss of electrons can be explained by recalling that atoms >> consist of a nucleus of neutrons and positively charged protons, >> surrounded >> by negatively >> charged electrons. Normally, there is the same number of electrons as >> protons in each atom. >> >> But if some object pulls away electrons from their orbit or shell around >> the >> nucleus, that causes the atom to have a positive charge because it has >> more >> protons than electrons. Likewise, the other material will have extra >> electrons in its shell, giving the atoms a negative charge. >> >> Charges on surface >> >> Note that the charged atoms are on the surface of the material. Static >> electricity is different than regular electricity that flows through >> metal >> wires. >> Most of the time the materials involved in static electricity are >> nonconductors of electricity. >> >> If electrical charges build up on the outside of a metal, most of them >> will >> dissipate into the metal, similar to an electrical current. >> >> Prefers dry air >> >> When the air is humid, water molecules can collect on the surface of >> various >> materials. This can prevent the buildup of electrical charges. The reason >> has >> to do with the shape of the water molecule and its own electrical forces. >> >> Thus, static electricity is formed much better when the air is dry or the >> humidity is low. >> >> Force field causes attraction >> >> An object that has static electricity charges built up on its surface has >> an >> electrical force field coming from the surface. This field will mildly >> attract >> neutral objects or those with no charge. The field will strongly attract >> an >> object that has an opposite charge on its surface. From this we get the >> expression: >> "Opposites attract." >> >> If two objects have the same charge, the electrical force field will >> cause >> those objects to push away from each other or repel. >> >> Attraction >> >> Rub a balloon on a wool sweater. The balloon collects negative electrical >> charges on its surface and the wool collects positive charges. You can >> then >> stick >> the balloon to the wall, which does not have an excess of either charge. >> The >> balloon will also stick to the wool, although the charges may jump back >> to >> the original material in a short time. >> >> You can also run a comb through your hair to charge the comb with static >> electricity. The comb can then be used to attract neutral pieces of >> tissue. >> >> Picking up tissue with a comb >> >> Repulsion >> >> Comb your hair on a dry day or after using a hair drier. The plastic comb >> collects negative charges from the hair, causing the hair to have an >> excess >> of >> positive charges. Since like charges repel, the hair strand will tend to >> push away from each other, causing the "flyaway hair" effect. >> >> Why sparks fly >> >> When two objects that have opposite charges get near each other, the >> electrical field pulls them together. >> >> What actually happens is that the negatively charged (-) electrons are >> attracted to the atoms in the other material that have an excess positive >> (+) charge. >> Things are much more stable if all the atoms have an equal number of (+) >> and >> (-) charges. >> >> Strong forces hold electrons >> >> The reason the electrons can't leave their present material is because of >> strong molecular forces that keep them where they are. If there are >> enough >> positive >> (+) charges attracting them, and the distance is not too great, some of >> the >> electrons will break loose and fly across the gap to the (+) side. >> >> Once it starts >> >> Once a few electrons start to move across the gap, they heat up the air, >> such that more and more will jump across the gap. This heats the air even >> more. >> It all happens very fast, and the air gets so hot that it glows for a >> short >> time. That is a spark. >> >> The same thing happens with lightning, except on a much larger scale, >> with >> higher voltages and current. >> >> Ben Franklin >> >> Ben Franklin proved that lightning was static electricity by flying a >> kite >> in a storm and detecting static electricity by seeing the hairs on the >> kite >> string >> stand on end and creating a spark with a metal key. This dangerous >> experiment showed that static electricity was being formed in the clouds >> by >> the rain. >> >> (See the biography of >> Ben Franklin's >> life.) >> >> In conclusion >> >> Rubbing certain materials together can cause the buildup of electrical >> charges on the surfaces. Opposite charges attract and same charges repel. >> Either >> charge will be attracted to something of neutral charge. Sparks are an >> extreme case of electrons being attracted to an object that has a >> positive >> charge. >> >> > > > > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://acbradio.org/handyman.html > or > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. > http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml > > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various > List Members At The Following address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ > > Visit the new archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man > list just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Free Edition. > Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.4/705 - Release Date: 2/27/2007 > 3:24 PM > To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday The Pod Cast address for the Cooking In The Dark Show is. http://www.gcast.com/u/cookingindark/main.xml Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/handyman/ Visit the new archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! 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