What is the difference between static and current electricity?
Static electricity is very different from current electricity and they do different things.
Static electricity
To understand static electricity, we need to look at an atom. Atoms are made up of protons, neutrons and electrons which are positivly charged (protons) negitivly charged (electrons) and neutral (neutrons). An atom is 'balenced' when there is an equal number of electrons and neutrons- so that they 'cancel' each other out. if an atom has significantly MORE protons than electrons it is positivley charged, and if there are significantly MORE electrons than protons, it is negitivly charged.
To help you understand this, here is a picture of an atom.
Static electricity is created when two items are rubbed against each other or create friction. When this happens, loosley bound electrons are given enough energy to leave their atoms, and go to other atoms. When this happens, there are MORE protons than electrons in the first object, making it positivley charged, and the atoms that now have more electrons now have a negative charge.
When a positivley charged object (full of positivley charged atoms) and a negitivley charged object (full of negitivley charged atoms) come in contact, the electrons (which are the negitivley charged particles) jump to where they are most needed, usually on a positivley charged object- to make it neutral. When this happens, we feel a small shock- sometimes known as an electric shock.
Luckily, this doesn't happen with all objects, and it only happens with a few- only with the ones with loosley bound electrons An electric shock is most likely to occur when two items come in contact, one being an insulater (tightly bound electrons) and one with loosley bound electrons.
If you have ever had an 'electric shock' on a trampoline or when your touch the doorhandle after walking on carpet you will know that it is not that serious, however, on a larger scale static electricity can be dangerous. Static electricity is responsible for lightning- which is very dangerous. When a positivley charged cloud and a negitivley charged cloud come into contact, they release their electrons on another object such as a tall metal pole, or another cloud. This causes a large spark that is commonly known as lightning.
This is very different to current electricity
Credits to Credits.static.electricity.link
Current Electricity
Current electricity is much easier to understand than static electricity. Current electricity is used in many things such as - Computers
- Phones
- Machines
- and much more!
To see more uses for current electricity and how it works go to What.is.electricity.website.details
Current electricity and how it is made is also described in the link above.
What is the difference
The difference between current electricity and static electricity is that static electricity can happen out of our control, and works on a much bigger level such as through the clouds and lightning. In contrast, current electricity is found in man-made things, and usually is formed or created within our control.
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