Human body and static electricity

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of static electricity in relation to the human body, exploring scenarios of charging and discharging, as well as the feasibility of creating a device that could allow a person to continuously generate static shocks without experiencing them themselves. The scope includes theoretical considerations and practical applications.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes a scenario where a human body, charged with positive electrons, interacts with charged plates, questioning the balance of charge after contact.
  • Another participant challenges the notion of "fully charging" the human body, explaining that removing electrons would lead to a positively charged plasma and that positive charge repels itself.
  • There is a clarification about the terminology used, with one participant acknowledging a mistake in referring to "positive electrons" instead of protons.
  • A participant expresses interest in creating a device that could allow a person to be a constant source of static electricity, capable of shocking others while remaining unaffected themselves.
  • Another participant humorously suggests a commercial product as a potential solution to the idea of generating static shocks.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the feasibility of charging the human body and the mechanics of static electricity. There is no consensus on the proposed device's practicality or the underlying physics of the scenarios discussed.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include assumptions about charge transfer and the nature of static electricity, as well as the practical implications of creating a device for continuous shocking. The discussion does not resolve the technical challenges involved.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in electrostatics, electrical engineering, or those exploring innovative applications of static electricity may find this discussion relevant.

vinniewryan
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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
 
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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?
 
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.
 
vinniewryan said:
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

:smile:
 
Last edited by a moderator:

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