What is a static electricity

A.� Static electricity is the surface storage of an electric charge wich is discharged when another object comes into contact with it. This, often painful, reaction is caused when your body contains a static electric charge that is bigger than that contained by the metal object you touch.

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The metal object tries to balance things out by taking some of the charge from you. The object grabs the charge a split second before you actually touch it, and the little spark created represents the transfer of electricity from you to the object.

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Q.� Why does the shock affect all of my body not just the part touching the object

A.� Because our bodies are largely composed of water they make excellent conductors of electricity, spreading the electric charge evenly over our entire bodies. So, when we touch another object that conducts electricity, like a metal car door, the whole of our body tries to discharge the electricity.

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Q.� How does an electric charge build up on my car or me

A.� You can build up a charge just by driving your car through air. However you can normally disperse the relatively small charge using those dangling strips seen hanging from a car’s rear bumper.

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A much more painful static charge can be built up by wearing synthetic fibres. These fibres when rubbed up alongside the synthetic seat fabric create enough friction to build up static that is hard to discharge other than via the conductive metal car door, which results in a rather painful shock when you touch it.

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Q.� If friction with the air can build up static why don’t disembarking passengers get shocks from planes

A.� Planes do build up a large amount of static due to the friction of the plane against the air. The charge has to be earthed as soon as the plane lands, before anyone gets chance to give themselves a large shock.

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Q.� What can I do to avoid shocking myself getting out of the car

A.� Because of the way the charge builds up stick to wearing natural fibres when driving and using a seat cover made of natural fabric.

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by Lisa Cardy