From: pauld@exploratorium.edu
Date: Mon Nov 11 2002 - 18:18:53 PST
Message-Id: <200211120218.gAC2Iqa23308@isaac.exploratorium.edu> From: pauld@exploratorium.edu Subject: Re: pinhole Re: static electricity Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2002 18:18:52 US/Pacific
Hi Karen
There are two affects:
On humid days it is easier for atmospheric water to condense on surfaces making
them conductors. The plastic surfaces which are usually insulators then conduct
electric charge to whatever is touching them. The charge leaves.
The air is full of ions. On humid days there are more ions, in the form of small
water drops. These drops have both positive and negative charges and are
attracted to charged objects cancelling out their charge.
Paul D
> Why is static electricity so hard to generate in damp weather? What is it
> that water in the air does to those electrons that so readily rub off in dry
> weather? Is it the polarity of water molecules that provide some kind of
> attractive molecular lodge? Or does the stickiness of water somehow seal
> electrons onto their home surfaces? What's going on?
>
> Thanks, Karen W.
>
>
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