Everyone has at some point experienced a small electric shock when shaking someone’s hand. The phenomenon also occurs when removing clothes or coming into contact with certain objects.
Static energy can be discharged through friction. Archive photo
This phenomenon is related to a person’s energy and is called static electricity. It is the sudden release of electrical current that builds up in our body or other materials.
Why does electric current appear between people?
According to science, the fact that an electric current is produced between people is called static electricity and it is produced by the exchange of charges between two electrified objects.
Electric discharge occurs when a person accumulates electrons and comes into contact with another person who has an opposite charge or no charge. Electrons are looking to break free and so they head to another body to try to discharge themselves.
Human beings are conductors of electricity by nature, so some people are able to transmit electricity through their own bodies.
Woolen clothing and synthetic fabrics such as polyester encourage the accumulation of electrical current, which increases the possibility of shock when using these items.
Although these discharges are usually harmless, those using pacemakers or other medical devices should be cautious, as the electricity can cause interference.
What influences the accumulation of electricity
Now that you know what this phenomenon means, it is valid to say that a study carried out by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health in Spain says that the accumulation of electrical energy in a person occurs due to several factors:
- Movement in the environment, because the greater the movement, the greater the load.
- Some physical characteristics of the person, for example, excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis.
- Contact with bodies or materials that can be electrically charged.
- Being close to the electric fields generated by already charged bodies.
- Moisture in the environment, for example, when the environment is dry, the accumulation of charges is more likely than when they are in wet places.
- Synthetic fibers, such as polyester, which are part of everyday clothing, favor the accumulation of charges.
- The floor is one of the factors that conduct electricity the most, so carpeted floors favor the creation of electrical charges more, writes diariouno.com.ar.
