Static Electricity Effects on Charged Objects

[TypeFun]

Homework Statement

How would static electricity on your clothes or on your body affect an experiment involving charged objects?

Homework Equations

Coulomb's Law

The Attempt at a Solution

The static electricity would attract the objects due to the like charges, assuming the objects have been charged.

 

[Delphi51]

Yes, it sure would mess up the experiment! Your measurements would depend on how close you were to the charges. BTW, like charges repel rather than attract.

 

[gomunkul51]

It depends on the needed accuracy.
It could affect the experiment by the Electric Field your static charge generates.
if the needed accuracy is high enough, more and more things will affect the experiment.

 

[TypeFun]

What is it about the static electricity, I suppose on a molecular level, that is causing the interference with the experiment? Is it the like unlike charges of the charged objects and your clothes/body repelling one from another?

 

[Delphi51]

Electrons. Too many one one object, not enough on the other result in net charges that attract.

 

[cupid.callin]

Here's a little tip
Cover your setup with a covering of aluminium foil. it will provide it electrostatic shielding

 

[Delphi51]

Or touch a pipe or tap to dissipate the charge on your body.

 

[gomunkul51]

Or ground yourself by winding a conducting wire around your hands and connecting it to, for example, a water tap (as said by Delphi51).

* It's a common practice when working with very delicate micro-electric devises.