Static Electric Discharge - Circuit???

Thread Starter

Thender21

Joined Jun 7, 2015
27
I have some trouble understanding this concept.

In general current flows in a Circuit, so called because it is circuitous like a loop or circle.

Generally that is the way it works.

What about when I walk across the library rubbing my feet on the carpet and reach for the door knob, Surprise! Static Electric Shock.

Where is the circuit?

To me it seems like some objects can hold a charge as a whole. Not very much in terms of Potential Current but quite a lot in terms of voltage.

My problem with this is I have this notion of electrons being pushed and pulled around.

In order for current flow to exist, electrical charges have to escape their atoms to other atoms.

So that means the energy required to remove one electron from an atom is needed. But electrons repel each other so the atom that receives an electron is opposing it.

So the conceptualization I have is that the whole thing is like a chain that moves in a circle.

If I were to connect two batteries in series by connecting the positive post of one to the negative post of the other, no current will flow?

It is an open circuit. Even though the batteries have differently charged plates...

Whats the reason for circular current flow and the appearance of a contradiction in the form of static electricity??

Thanks.
 

MikeML

Joined Oct 2, 2009
5,444
Static is like discharging a charged capacitor. It is a transient movement of charge only when the circuit (tip of your finger) initially touches the object with a higher or lower potential (the door knob). The capacitor being discharged exists between your body and whatever the door knob is connected to (likely building earth ground). Once the charge is equalized, the movement of charge (current) ceases.
 

Thread Starter

Thender21

Joined Jun 7, 2015
27
If you connect a light bulb between the negative post of one battery and the positive post of another how come it does not light?

Arent the respective battery posts at different electrical potentials like my finger and the door knob?

Also, the door knob shocks me because it is metal, the wooden door itself will not shock me.

Is this because of electronic conductivity?

Just how much of a static charge can exist on an object? Doesnt it require balance of the atomic forces?
 

MikeML

Joined Oct 2, 2009
5,444
If you connect a light bulb between the negative post of one battery and the positive post of another how come it does not light?
Because there is a missing connection between the two non-connected terminals. This is a DC circuit.

Arent the respective battery posts at different electrical potentials like my finger and the door knob?
NO. There could be a static charge between the two batteries initially that would be equalized if you touched both simultaneously, but no steady-state current can flow.

Also, the door knob shocks me because it is metal, the wooden door itself will not shock me.

Is this because of electronic conductivity?
Yes

Just how much of a static charge can exist on an object?
It depends on its capacitance relative to its surroundings.
 

Thread Starter

Thender21

Joined Jun 7, 2015
27
I know that current cant flow from ABatt+ to BBatt-.

I dont know why.

All I can do is guess that if current flowed that way one battery would lose a large amount of charge and the other would gain it.

And the result would be wildly ionized batteries, far beyond what the attractive forces of protons and repulsive forces of electrons would permit.

I dont know. I dont see the explanation.

For current to flow we should only need a voltage and a conductor.

The B+ of one battery and B- of another should form a voltage (or not and why not?) and then we connect them with a wire.

Why doesnt current flow?

Im thinking for all the current that passes out of one end of a battery the same amount passes into the other end. So the voltage or potential energy is consumed but the net balance of energy remains the same.

That it is very hard to increase or decrease the total charge of any object.

Beats me.
 
Top