ITT-Tech | Static Electricity | [Type the document subtitle] | Jacque Lazarus | | 7/4/2012 |

| Static Electricity

Static electricity is the imbalance of positive and negative charge. It’s referred to as the build-up of electric charge on the surface of objects. Those objects keep a static charge until they find a way to be released or until neutralized by a discharge. Static electricity is either current or dynamic electricity, which can be delivered through wires as a power source. It is caused by a process called triboelectrification which is explained through and atomic structure. All material objects are composed of atoms. Atoms have center’ the nucleus contains positively charged protons and neutral neutrons, have no electrical charge. Around the atoms are negative charged electrons. Protons and neutrons do not change, but electrons can move from one atom to another. Electrons are exchanged when two objects touch causing one object to become electrically positive and the other negative.
The most common cause of static electricity is the contact and immediate separation of the two materials that is friction, winding, and unwinding. Other causes of static electricity are rapid temperature drop, cutting operations (saw or paper cutting machines), irradiation with high energy (ultraviolet radiation, x-rays, strong electric field). We all have seen and/or experienced examples of static electricity in our everyday lives, such as when we get our clothes out of the dryer, get out of a vehicle, or even a doorknob.
Static electricity is not good for computer components because the discharge current generates heat. That heat lead to destruction of joints contacts and break microchips. High voltage also destroys thin oxide film or the field-effect transistors and other elements that are coated. If the components are not completely out of order it’s said to be more dangerous because at some point there can be a short circuit. Computer components are vulnerable to static electricity when exposed to change a hard drive or add memory chips. Our bodies carry a build-up of