Static electricity is a set of phenomena associated with the generation, retention, and relaxation of a free electric charge on the surface or within the volume of dielectrics (insulators) or on conductors insulated from the ground. Unlike the familiar dynamic current, which flows continuously through wires from a source to a consumer, a static charge is in relative rest and accumulates until a condition arises for its instantaneous discharge in the form of a spark or a mild prick. At the core of this phenomenon lies the atomic structure of matter: in a neutral state, every atom has an equal number of positively charged protons in its nucleus and negatively charged electrons in its orbits. The main cause of static electricity is the disruption of this balance (electrification), which most commonly occurs during contact interaction (friction, contact, and subsequent separation) of two different materials. This process is called the triboelectric effect. During contact, microscopic surface irregularities come close together, and materials with a lower electron work function "give up" their electrons to the neighboring material. After the bodies separate, one of them acquires an excess of electrons and becomes negatively charged, while the other loses them and acquires a positive charge. The intensity of this process directly depends on the nature of the materials, the contact pressure, the contact area, and the speed of separation. There is even a special triboelectric series (table) that shows which substances tend to become positively charged (such as human skin, glass, wool, and hair) and which tend to become negatively charged (such as polyester, teflon, rubber, and vinyl). #electricity #physicstok #facts #experiment
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