The voltage can be about times the voltage of typical power outlets. However, these huge voltages are nothing to worry about, since voltage is just a measure of the charge difference between objects.
Since typically only a few electrons are transmitted in a static electric discharge, these zaps are pretty harmless. Nevertheless, these little sparks can be fatal to sensitive electronics, such as the hardware components of a computer.
Small currents carried by only few electrons can be enough to accidentally fry them. Metals are very good conductors, and so electrons are quite happy to go there. A more serious threat is an electric discharge in the vicinity of flammable gases. Or you can invest in the kind of anti-static wristband widely used by workers in the electronic industries to safely ground individuals before they work on very sensitive electronic components. They prevent static buildups using a conductive ribbon that coils around your wrist.
In everyday life, the best method to reduce charge buildups is running a humidifier to raise the amount of moisture in the air.
Also keeping your skin moist by applying moisturizer can make a big difference. Dryer sheets prevent charges from building up as your clothes tumble dry by spreading a small amount of fabric softener over the cloth. You can rub fabric softener on your carpets to prevent charge buildup too. Despite the nuisance and possible dangers of static electricity, it definitely has its benefits. Many everyday applications of modern technology crucially rely on static electricity.
Benjamin Franklin took things a big step ahead. He came up with the idea that electricity had positive and negative elements and that electricity flowed between these elements. He also believed that lightning was a form of this flowing electricity. In , Franklin conducted his famous kite experiment. In order to show that lightning was electricity, he flew a kite during a thunderstorm. He tied a metal key to the kite string to conduct the electricity.
Just as he thought, electricity from the storm clouds transferred to the kite and electricity flowed down the string and gave him a shock. He's lucky that he didn't get hurt, but he didn't mind the shock since it proved his idea.
Building upon Franklin's work, many other scientists studied electricity and began to understand more about how it works. For example, in , Thomas Edison patented the electric light bulb and our world has been brighter ever since! But was Benjamin Franklin really the first person to discover electricity? Maybe not! At the turn of the 17th century, English scientist William Gilbert established the science underlying the study of electricity and magnetism. Inspired by Gilbert's work, another Englishman, Sir Thomas Browne, made further investigations and wrote books about his findings.
Gilbert and Browne are credited with being the first scientists to use the term "electricity. Scientists have found evidence that ancient peoples may have experimented with electricity, too. In , a clay pot was discovered that suggests that the first batteries may have been invented over 2, years ago. The clay pot contained copper plates, tin alloy , and an iron rod. It could have been used to create an electric current by filling it with an acidic solution, like vinegar.
No one knows what the device was used for, but it sheds some light on the fact that people may have been learning about electricity long before Benjamin Franklin! B, CCRA. Are you ready to have some fun with electricity?
Be sure to explore the following activities with a friend or family member:. That's a great question, James! We're not sure about that. You could probably go on a Wonder Journey to discover the answer to this question. Thanks for your comment, but Ben Franklin lived long before Nikola Tesla.
We don't see how that would be possible. Great question! We suggest doing some research on your own. And, never mess around with electricity without an adult present. It can be very dangerous! Great question, New Guy! Do you mean the Leyden jar? This link from The Atlas Society should provide you with more information!
What was some of the information that you learned about from this Wonder? Thanks for asking, Nigx! We ask that Wonderopolis be listed as the author. Since we do not list the publish date for our Wonders of the Day, you may put the date you accessed this page for information.
The following is how you would cite this page:. Accessed 10 Mar. It's a shame that people who drive cars turn their lightson in the house, use the refrigerators washing machines vacum cleaners, remote control etc. Hi, Milan! We do also have a Wonder about Nikola Tesla! Wonder Who Was Nikola Tesla? Hi, Mainak! Let us know what you find out! What are some of the new facts you learned about electricity? Actually when Edison toured the Centennial Exposition in in Philadelphia he stopped by a booth set up by Mr.
He had invented a bulb that when electricity passed through it the bulb glowed. His patented "Stopper lamp" preceded Edison's patent by several years. Stanly later was one of the engineers who worked with George Westinghouse and Nicola Tesla to create our modern AC system.
Thanks for asking, BBQQ, and yes, you can!! Because we do not put the publish date for our Wonders of the Day, you may put the date you accessed this page for information.
Accessed 21 Nov. You're very welcome! Any time we get a chance to Wonder with great Wonder Friends like you is thanks enough for us! That's awesome, Aprilyn! Have a great day! Benjamin Franklin grounded the basics by which electricity follows. He was making a point that lightning is a form of electricity.
He expanded his studies of electricity into inventions and such of the subject. Hi Layne! We do love to have fun while we Wonder. Thanks for being an awesome Wonder Friend! That's awesome, Cliff! Thanks, Chloe! Everybody does make mistakes - it's true.
We do strive to be as accurate as possible, though so we welcome constructive feedback. We love our Wonder Friends like you, Chloe! Thanks for having our back, Brixley! We love having you as a Wonder Friend - you're awesome! Awesome, Degan! So glad you learned something new and had fun doing it.
That's what we are all about here at Wonderopolis! That's kind of mean to say, Snoop dog. We hope that you will be kind when you're online, because what you say matters and can hurt others. But on another note, we're impressed that you've read all 1, Wonders of the Day! Which one is the correct one? We hope you'll explore the achievements of Thomas Edison by searching online or at your local library! Thanks for sharing what your learned with us, Sam!
Tomas made the light bulb and others ben made electricity well he didnt make it he just kind of found it i guess. By researching this Wonder we found that many people credit Ben Franklin with discovering electricity and Thomas Edison built upon Franklin's work to create the light bulb.
Thanks for commenting, bob. We did some further digging and could not find a link between Thales of Miletus and electricity, despite his work in science. If you have a source for your claim, we would be happy to review it. Thank you! Thanks for sharing your opinion, Wonder Friend! Video games are popular! We encourage you to use the search box to find Wonders about video games!
Sometimes people do not believe in using electricity. We respect everyone's beliefs here at Wonderopolis! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Michael! We're sorry you didn't like this Wonder. Luckily, there are more than 1, other Wonders you can explore! Thanks for the KIND words! Hello, the lover! Ben Franklin did discover electricity, but he also proved that lightning was a form of electricity. He conducted an experiment using a kite and invented the lightning rod. Learn more about Ben Franklin's experiment here.
Even the word electricity was already in use before him by Thomas Browne. Franklin just further experimented on the idea. In fact he was just testing if the electricity produced by static charges is same as lightning bolt because the similarities they hold. Furthermore, you only explain the Western version of the researches done. In ancient India, more than years ago, another scientist, also a saint, Saint Agasthiyar wrote in his writings on how to build a battery.
His batteries were used in many Eastern countries as far as Persia currently known as the Baghdad Battery. It sounds like you've really researched this topic, Chakravarth! That's true! We also wouldn't have the lightbulb, or many other gadgets such as refrigerators and washing machines! Electricity definitely provides us with daily conveniences, such as light and computer. Electricity continues to help our world grow and develop.
Thanks for commenting! Thank you for pointing out that Nikola Tesla developed the alternating-current electrical system that's widely used today. He developed a lot more than just the ac electrical system. I found your article to be highly lacking in accurate information. Hi, Natalie! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this Wonder! Sometimes it it only the start of your Wonder Journey! We always encourage you to keep researching at your library and online! Thanks so much, Nick! We're super happy that you learned something new and had fun, too!
We're glad to see that you are enjoying our science Wonder, HaiShy! Thanks for sharing your comment! Hi, Wonder Friend! Thanks for sharing your opinion! Although the video is not real, it does show something could really happen. Thanks for letting us know! Hi there, Stormy! Maxwell Scotland created a new era of physics when he unified magnetism, electricity and light. Maxwell's four laws of electrodynamics "Maxwell's Equations" eventually led to electric power, radios, and television.
His lightbulb burned out quickly. Thomas Edison U. US , in New York City. He bought a number of patents related to electric lighting and began experiments to develop a practical, long-lasting light bulb. By his bulbs could be used for hours.
Electric lights Brush arc lamps were first used for public street lighting in Cleveland, Ohio. California Electric Light Company, Inc.
The company used two small Brush generators to power 21 Brush arc light lamps. Siemens Thomas Edison U. Similar devices were found in archeological digs near Baghdad meaning ancient Persians may have also used an early form of batteries.
But by the 17th century, many electricity-related discoveries had been made, such as the invention of an early electrostatic generator, the differentiation between positive and negative currents, and the classification of materials as conductors or insulators. In , Ben Franklin conducted his experiment with a kite, a key, and a storm.
This simply proved that lightning and tiny electric sparks were the same thing. Italian physicist Alessandro Volta discovered that particular chemical reactions could produce electricity, and in he constructed the voltaic pile an early electric battery that produced a steady electric current, and so he was the first person to create a steady flow of electrical charge.
Volta also created the first transmission of electricity by linking positively-charged and negatively-charged connectors and driving an electrical charge, or voltage, through them.
In electricity became viable for use in technology when Michael Faraday created the electric dynamo a crude power generator , which solved the problem of generating electric current in an ongoing and practical way. This opened the door to American Thomas Edison and British scientist Joseph Swan who each invented the incandescent filament light bulb in their respective countries in about Previously, light bulbs had been invented by others, but the incandescent bulb was the first practical bulb that would light for hours on end.
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