STATIC ELECTRICITY

Static Electricity can be defined as an imbalance

of electric charges within or on the surface of a material
or between materials. This imbalance gets created when
there is an unequal number of negative and positive
charges in an object. These charges can be developed on
the surface of an object until they find a way to be
released or discharged. A classic example is the hair
raising upwards when rubbed against a balloon. One way
to discharge this imbalance of charges is through
a circuit. Lightning strike is an natural phenomenon
caused due to static charge accumulation in the clouds.
Table of Content
1.What is Static Electricity?
2.Static Electricity Generation
3.Properties of Static Electricity
4.Static Charge Build-up in the Clouds
5.Lightning and Lightning Strike
6.Types of Electric Charges
7.Static Electricity Generator
What is Static Electricity?
 
 The imbalance of electric charges in a body due to
the varying number of positive and negative
charges is called static electricity. 
 The term ‘Static’ is used as the electrons that get
displaced become stationary in their new
positions on the insulating mateiral.
 Consider the example of a glass rod rubbed
against a synthetic cloth, the glass and the silk tends
to stick together due to generation of static
electricity. 

Glass Rod Rubbed against Silk

 Physical contact between the objects causes the
formation of static electricity.
  Electrons are loosely held in the atomic stucture and
can be dispalced by simple actions like rubbing. 
 Electron build-up occurs till there is a way to
discharge the accumulated electrons.
 Lightning strike is a classic example of static
electricity. 
 Static charges can be on the surface, imparted by
physical contact or through extra ions present in air. 
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Static Electricity Generation
 

Static charge is made in three stages -  charge parcel,

charge gathering, and electrostatic delivery. Static is an
electrical lopsidedness on the external layer of a material
which can interface with incorporating materials.
 The lopsidedness happens when a molecule (or iota)
gains or loses an electron.
 Usually, the molecule is offset with a comparable
number of positive protons in the particle and
electrons.
 Electrons move successfully beginning with one
molecule then onto the following.
 They structure into positive particles (where an
electron is missing) or negative particles (a lone
electron, or an atom with an extra electron).
 When this abnormality occurs, it is called contact-
based power.
Static Electricity Generation
 When two materials come into contact, there is
an adjustment of electric charges at each surface for
thermodynamic reasons.
 When electrons move, one follows another and the
available electron levels in the two materials are
changed in the wake of showing up at agreement.
 Scouring, or frictional charging, is not needed, but
this generally increase charges.
 When the two materials are disengaged, the charge
move becomes clear as the electrostatic
improvement in the two materials.
 This is the basic principle behind the lightning strike.
Read More: Current Density
Properties of Static Electricity
 

Some of the interesting characteristic properties of static

electricity are listed below:
 It is caused by the imbalance in positve and
negative charges.
 Static electricity is seen in conductors and
insulators. 
 Static electricity is most prevalant during the dry
season as moisture as moisture does not allow the
transfer of electrons.
 Continuous electric current is not produced during
static electricity.
 Charges produced are static through the forcefield
and do not allow energy to get dissipated. 
Examples of Static Electricity
 Rubbing of nylon cloth against another fabric or
wearer’s skin causes formation of static electricity.
  Dust particles in air get polarised by the television
screen and stick- electrostatic interaction between
dust particles and the TV screen.
 Electrostatic force (Static electricity) gets developed
during winters between the fabric layer and human
skin. 
 A Photocopier works on the principle of static
electricity.
 Bits of paper get stuck to the comb brought in
contact with it immediately after combing.
 Static electricity accumulated in the clouds is the
reason behind the lightning strike. 
Read More: Earth Vs Neutral 

Static Charge Build-up in the Clouds

 

Given below is the formation of charges in the clouds due

to static electricity.
 Water from the surface of the earth evaporates and
reaches higher levels of the atmosphere.
 Warm droplets from earth’s surface move
upwards and cool water droplets drop down in the
form of heavy rain clouds which cause rain.
 The opposing motion of the water droplets
causes transfer of electrons due to friction.
 Electron transfer causes mixing up of air on the
upper layers of the atmosphere.
 Top part of the clouds develop excessive positive
charge and the bottom part develops an equally
excessive negative charge.
 The tiny droplets in the sky further freeze causing a
greater amount of charge imbalance.
 This causes an overall charge imbalance in the
cloud.
Static Charge Build-Up in Clouds
Also Read: How are Clouds Formed?

Lightning and Lightning Strike 

 

 Charge irregularity in the cloud due to built up of

static charges continues to increase.
 Air regularly does not permit the progression of
charges through it and thus the unevenness further
increases.
  After a specific point, the cloud cannot deal with the
excessive charge uneveness.
 Charge tension is removed by opening up a
channel of conduction.
 This channel is through the air which permits the
charges to discharge reducing the tension.
 This channel of conduction is known as lightning.
 Lightning strike causes billions of electrons to escape
thorugh this tiny way causing excessive heating up
of electric charges and making the path extend
fiercely.
 This extension of air makes a boisterous thundering
commotion commonly called a thunder.

Lightning Strike due to Static Electricity

Also Read: Kirchhoff’s Rules
Protective Measures Against Lightning
 Tall structures, farmhouses, and other constructions
sites are prone to lightning strikes.
 To prevent this, they are regularly furnished
with lightning poles or rods.  
 A lightning rod is a pole made of metal that is
mounted on the top of the structure and goes into
the ground.
 The lightning rods stretch out over the structure,
higher than the structure so the bar interacts with
the charges first.
 The metal secures the direct exposure to the
charges from the cloud away from the structure and
into the ground thus protecting the structure from
static charge and static electricity generation.
Lightning Rod 
Also Read: Winds, Storms & Cyclones

Types of Electric Charges

 

Electric charge is an electrical property of which comes

into play when there is a deficiency of electrons. There
are two types of electric charges, positive charges, and
negative charges. Like charges repel each other while
unlike charges attract each other. The SI Unit of Electric
charge is Coulomb.
  Positive Charge – Looses electrons and becomes
positively charged
 Negative Charge- gains electrons and becomes
negatively charged

Positive and Negative Charge formation

When these positive and negative charges get separated
in this fasion, static electricity is formed. 
 The electron has a negative charge, while
the proton has a positive charge.
 In a material number of protons, electrons are
identical in numbers.
 Electrical charge denoted by the letter, Q.
 Contact-based power is the presence of net positive
and negative charges in a material.
  A force starts acting between charges producing a
shock.
 This power is also called as an electric
field which includes imperceptible lines of power.
Read Also: Physical Significance of Electric Field 

Static Electricity Generator

 

Static electricity generator is used to produce contact-

based power. The friction is converted to electricity by a
static electricity generator.
There are two procedures that are used for
generating static charges:
 Triboelectric Effect: This occurs when the two
objects come closer to each other and the charge
gets transferred due to friction.
 Electrostatic Induction: Charging by
induction redistributes charges on the surface of an
 object owing to the nearby charges or static electric
field. 

Static Electricity Generator

Also Read:
Important Concepts Related to Current Electricity

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Electrical Current Resistor Colour Codes Ampere
Circuit Diagram Drift velocity Unit of Curre

Things to Remember
 Imbalance of charges on an object produces and
electrostatic force called static electricity. Electrical
impacts brought about by the charge awkwardness
 between a contrarily charged item and a decidedly
charged particle.
 Excessive charge gets built up due to the increase in
positive and negative charges on the top and
bottom of the clouds.
 The excessive charges find a way of discharge
through the air and thus cause lightning and
lightning strike to occur.
 Static electricity generator uses the mechanism of
converting frictional energy into static electricity.
 Charges are classified as positive and negative
charges.
 Triboelectric series-  A rundown that positions
different materials as per their inclination to acquire
or lose electrons.
 Electrostatic Induction- Rearranging the charges on
the outer layer of an item as a result of the close-by
charges or static electric field.