Human body and static electricity

[vinniewryan]

Scenario:

If a human body is fully charged with positive electrons (protons/lack of electrons) and comes in contact with a pool of positive electrons such as a charged plate, the charge stays the same in the human body and the plate. Now if the human comes in contact with a source of negative electrons (another plate), the positive plate will discharge through the body, then the body will discharge, leaving a balance of electrons in the positive plate, body, and negative plate's electrons, because now all 3 will share an equal charge of positive and negative electrons, correct?

If so, there's really no way to constantly be shocked by an electrostatic force because upon discharge, the balance of electrons will be restored and there will be nothing to build an electromotive force. So, if a human were attached to a device that was generating a negative charge and burning off all positive electrons it comes in contact with, then the body could ultimately attract and be shocked by any positive charge it comes in contact with as it would never hold a positive charge?

edit: just pretend my above logic is correct, you know what I mean

 

[Drakkith]

A couple of things here.
First, you cannot "fully charge" the human body, or really anything, by removing the electrons without it becoming a positively charged plasma. The bonds between atoms and molecules only exist because of the electrons. Take them away and not only do the bonds no longer exist, all that positive charge repels itself.

Second, a positively charged plate has an excess of protons and a lack of electrons. There are no positive electrons, only negative. (The antiparticle of an electron is a positron, which does have a positive charge, but that is irrelavent for this conversation)

Third, assuming you simply have an excess of negative electrons on a plate, which means it is at a high negative voltage in relation to a human body, the electrons would be transferred from the plate through the body to ground until the plate voltage was near neutral.

If so, there's really no way to constantly be shocked by an electrostatic force because upon discharge, the balance of electrons will be restored and there will be nothing to build an electromotive force. So, if a human were attached to a device that was generating a negative charge and burning off all positive electrons it comes in contact with, then the body could ultimately attract and be shocked by any positive charge it comes in contact with as it would never hold a positive charge?

If you are talking about a simple charged object, then no you would not be constantly shocked. The rest of your paragraph makes no sense though. Do you have a basic understanding of electricity?

 

[vinniewryan]

I must have been smoking crack when I posted that, hence the edit. Yes, every instance of positive electron should have been proton.

As for the paragraph that made no sense, let me clearify by explaining the application. I'm trying to figure out how to make a device that would allow someone to become a constant source of static electricity that would not only shock someone else on contact, but constantly re-charge that person so it can continuously shock them without shocking the person wearing the device. It's only a concept, not sure if it's possible but if it is then I'm determined to find out how. Basically like a 'if you touch me you're going to regret it' device. Maybe on a belt clip or built into a shoe.

 

[Creator]

I'm trying to figure out how to make a device that would allow someone to become a constant source of static electricity that would not only shock someone else on contact, but constantly re-charge that person so it can continuously shock them without shocking the person wearing the device. ... Basically like a 'if you touch me you're going to regret it' device. Maybe on a belt clip or built into a shoe.

Try one of these:
http://www.taser.com/products/personal-safety/taser-m26c

 

[sardar]

I appreciate your curiosity and interest in understanding the behavior of static electricity in the human body. Your scenario does have some elements of accuracy, but there are a few points that need clarification.

First, it's important to note that the human body does not become "fully charged" with positive electrons. In fact, the human body is typically neutral in terms of its overall charge, with an equal number of positive and negative charges. However, certain materials, such as rubber or synthetic fabrics, can cause the human body to accumulate excess electrons, giving it a net negative charge. This is what can lead to static electricity shocks.

In your scenario, the body is in contact with a positively charged plate, which means that the body will gain some positive charge from the plate. However, this charge will not be enough to significantly alter the overall charge of the body. When the body then comes in contact with a negatively charged plate, the excess negative charge will be neutralized, but the overall charge of the body will still remain neutral.

In terms of constantly being shocked by an electrostatic force, it is possible for the body to continue accumulating excess charge if it is in contact with a constantly generating source of negative charge. However, this is not a sustainable situation as eventually the body will reach a point of equilibrium and the shocks will stop.

Additionally, it's important to note that the human body is not a perfect conductor and can only hold a certain amount of charge before it discharges. So even in the scenario of constantly generating negative charge, the body would eventually reach a point of discharge and the shocks would stop.

In summary, while your scenario does have some elements of accuracy, it's important to consider the complexities of the human body and its ability to hold and discharge static charge. As scientists, we continue to study and learn more about the behavior of static electricity in the human body and its potential impacts on our health and well-being.