Static Electricity
You are walking across a carpet in your socks, you reach out to open a door, and suddenly ZAP! A tiny bolt of lightning jumps from your finger. What exactly is going on, and where did that energy come from?
Have You Ever Been Zapped by a Doorknob?
Tiny invisible particles jumping through the air! As Bill Nye the Science Guy explains, you have built up a charge of tiny particles called electrons. The shock is the feeling of those electrons jumping from your finger to the metal to balance things out.
They are exactly the same thing! A lightning bolt is just a giant spark of static electricity. Millions of electrons build up in a storm cloud and jump to the earth in a massive flash of light.
Put Your Instincts to the Test
Think about what you already know about shocks and sparks. Pick an answer for each question, then see if your instincts were right.
They push away from each other! In science, like charges repel. If two objects both have a negative charge, they will push each other away like the wrong ends of a magnet.
Every hair gets the same charge and they repel! Because each individual strand of hair becomes negatively charged, they all try to push as far away from each other as possible.
Directly into the earth! This is called grounding. Electricians use special wires to connect buildings to the ground so that stray electrons have a safe path to travel instead of building up and causing sparks.
Understanding the Science
Tap each card to uncover the invisible particles and forces that make static electricity so shocking.
Atoms
Tap to learn moreEverything in the universe is made of atoms. They are the microscopic building blocks of matter, and they contain even smaller parts inside them.
Electrons
Tap to learn moreThese are tiny particles with a negative charge. They orbit the outside of an atom and can easily jump from one object to another!
Protons
Tap to learn moreThese are particles with a positive charge. Unlike electrons, protons are stuck firmly in the centre of the atom and do not move around freely.
Static Charge
Tap to learn moreThe word "static" means stationary. Static electricity is what happens when extra electrons build up on an object and just sit there, waiting to jump.
Attraction
Tap to learn moreIn the world of electricity, opposites attract! An object with a negative charge will pull toward an object with a positive charge.
Repulsion
Tap to learn moreLike charges repel. If you bring two negatively charged objects together, they will push away from each other invisibly.
Sparks
Tap to learn moreWhen there is a big difference in charge, electrons jump through the air to balance it out. This rapid jump creates a flash of light called a spark.
Grounding
Tap to learn moreBy connecting a wire directly into the earth, stray electrons have a safe path to travel so they do not build up and cause dangerous sparks.
Try It: The Zap Challenge
In this lab, distance is everything. You can build up an "Overload" of 100% static charge, but it won't jump the gap until you move your hand.
The Mission: Build a 100% charge while far away, then slide slowly to see the maximum voltage spark!
Apply Your Knowledge
Let us see if you can connect these electrical concepts to their vital jobs.
Match the Concepts
Click an object to select it, then click the matching description to place it.
Real-World Challenge
Bill Nye the Science Guy demonstrates how a balloon rubbed on your hair can mysteriously bend a thin stream of falling water without even touching it. Based on what you know about positive and negative charges, explain why the water is attracted to the balloon.
What Has Changed Since This Episode Aired
This episode aired in 1994. While the core physics of static electricity remains completely accurate, the technology we use has changed.
Updated: If you try this at home today, it probably will not work! Modern flat-screen TVs (like LCD and OLED models) use entirely different technology to display images and do not shoot beams of electrons at the screen, so they do not build up a heavy static charge on the surface.
Updated: While physical lightning rods are still crucial, modern lightning protection is much more advanced. Today, buildings also require complex surge protectors to save our sensitive electronic devices (like computers and smartphones) from the invisible electromagnetic pulse that a lightning strike creates.
Test Your Understanding
Answer these questions and get instant feedback. How many can you get right?
Results
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Reflection
Think about the weather where you live. Have you ever noticed that static electricity shocks happen more often during certain times of the year? Based on what you learned, why do you think dry or humid air might affect how electrons jump?
Episode Discussion
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