How is static electricity generated? What harm does static electricity do to people?

In daily life, static electricity is everywhere, and it is especially difficult to avoid in the dry winter. When electric charges gather on an object or surface, static electricity is formed. Static electricity is a static charge. So how is static electricity generated? What harm does static electricity do to people? Let's talk about the topics related to static electricity that you want to know most!

Contents of this article

1. How is static electricity generated?

2. What harm does static electricity do to people?

3. What to use for anti-static

How is static electricity generated?

In daily life, we often encounter this phenomenon: when we shake hands with each other, we suddenly feel a needle-like pain in our fingertips as soon as our fingers touch each other; when we take off our clothes to sleep at night, we often hear crackling sounds in the dark, accompanied by blue light; when we comb our hair in the morning, our hair often "floats" and becomes more and more messy. This is static electricity happening in our bodies.

Static electricity is formed when electric charges accumulate on an object or surface. Static electricity is a type of static electric charge.

There are two types of electric charges: positive and negative. That is to say, static electricity can also be divided into two types: positive static electricity and negative static electricity. When positive charges gather on an object, positive static electricity is formed. When negative charges gather on an object, negative static electricity is formed. However, whether it is positive static electricity or negative static electricity, when an object with static electricity contacts an object with zero potential (grounded object) or an object with a potential difference with it, charge transfer will occur, which is the spark discharge phenomenon we see in daily life.

Benjamin Franklin of North America discovered that when a thunderstorm cloud passed over a kite, the kite and the entire kite string became fully charged, and the filaments on the string stretched out. (Note that he did not hold the kite string directly with his hands, which would be very dangerous!) From this, he invented the lightning rod to protect buildings.

It was not until the 20th century that people realized that the basic structure of matter is atoms, which are composed of negatively charged electrons and positively charged nuclei. Under normal circumstances, the number of protons in the nucleus is the same as the number of electrons outside the nucleus, and the positive and negative are balanced, so the atom is in a neutral state without any charge. Contrary to what Franklin imagined, it is the negatively charged electrons that are separated due to external factors, and the charge accumulates on the surface of the object, forming static electricity.

In our daily life, walking or dressing involves constant friction, which may generate static electricity. Especially in winter, when the weather becomes very dry, we carry static electricity on our bodies. When we touch metal keys or door handles, because the contact area between the hand and the metal object is very small, the tip instantly generates high-voltage discharge, and we will feel the pain of the fingertips being electrocuted.

What harm does static electricity do to people?

Static electricity not only hurts you, but if it accumulates too much it can also be harmful to your health.

1. The static electricity generated by the human body will change the normal potential difference of the human body surface, affecting the normal electrophysiological process of the myocardium and the normal conduction of the electrocardiogram without interference. If this static electricity lasts for a long time, it will increase the alkalinity of the blood and cause a decrease in the calcium content in the serum, which will cause certain harm to growing children, the elderly with relatively low blood calcium levels, and pregnant women who need more calcium.

2. Static electricity particles are often generated around the screen, and these particles absorb a large amount of floating dust in the air. These charged floating dusts have adverse effects on the skin, causing itching and pigmentation. Many friends who face computers for a long time have skin diseases such as erythema and pigmentation on their faces, which is closely related to the static electricity generated by the computer screen attracting a large amount of suspended dust.

3. Excessive static electricity accumulates in the human body, which can also cause abnormal current conduction in the brain nerve cell membrane, affect the central nervous system, and thus lead to changes in blood pH and the body's oxygen characteristics, affecting the body's physiological balance, causing symptoms such as dizziness, headache, irritability, insomnia, loss of appetite, and mental confusion.

However, static electricity is everywhere in our daily life, and it is especially difficult to avoid in the dry winter. It is said that someone has conducted special investigations and measurements, and found that the static discharge voltage that the human body can feel is between 3000-5000 volts. Walking on a carpet can generate 1500-35000 volts of static electricity, and a slight rubbing of the buttocks on a chair can generate more than 1800 volts of static electricity.

What to use for anti-static

1. Humidifier

When the indoor humidity is below 30%, it is conducive to the generation of static electricity by friction. If the humidity is raised to 45%, static electricity is difficult to generate. You may wish to use a humidifier/spray to humidify the indoor air and eliminate the environment that generates static electricity.

2. Hand cream

Dryness is the main cause of static electricity, and most people are most severely electrocuted when their hands touch other objects, so moisturizing your hands can prevent them from being "electrocuted". Applying hand cream is the most direct way, or you can dip your hands in water before touching the door lock.

3. Anti-static small items

In fact, there are many anti-static products in online stores, such as anti-static buckles and anti-static bracelets, ranging from RMB50 to RMB80. Wearing them can prevent static electricity! The principles of these items are actually similar, that is, to conduct electricity through metal objects to quickly dissipate static electricity. In addition, you can also spray anti-static spray on your clothes before going out to effectively prevent static electricity accumulation on clothes.