Why cant conductors be charged by friction?

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SUMMARY

Conductors cannot be charged by friction due to their high capacitance, which allows for rapid charge exchange with surrounding objects. When a person walks across a carpet and builds up static electricity, they can discharge to a metal object but not to a wooden one. This is because the metal object quickly returns the charges, preventing any significant charge accumulation. The fundamental principle at play is the relationship between capacitance and charge transfer rates.

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  • Understanding of electrical capacitance
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  • Basic concepts of conductors and insulators
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ngjingyi
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can some1 clear my doubt?
 
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If I understand your question, the way it was explained to me is that the capacitance of the conductor is so high, it exchanges charges very easily with everything else.

Another way to picture it, when you charge yourself walking across a carpet, you can spark discharge to a metal object but not a wooden one because the transfer of charges onto a low-capacitance object happens slowly.

So trying to rub charges off onto a metal object means the metal object returns those charges back too quickly for any appreciable charge to build up.
 

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