• Question: Why doesn't static electricity cause objects to disintegrate? (seeing as electrons should be making up the bonds holding the atoms together, and these may be rubbed off when the object becomes static)

    Asked by kaurprincess to Marcus, Martin, Rob, Suzanne on 21 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: Robert Thompson

      Robert Thompson answered on 21 Mar 2012:

      Hey kaurprincess, Basically the electrons that contribute to static electricity are not the electrons which are important for holding the atoms or molecules together. They are “free” electrons…. But you are right If you put enough energy into a molecule so you rip the electrons out of the bonds you will break up the material.

    • Photo: Martin Zaltz Austwick

      Martin Zaltz Austwick answered on 21 Mar 2012:

      I always find static electricity slightly mysterious. You can pull electrons away from some molecules just by rubbing them? Wow. Rob’s right, the electrons you pull away from the molecules are weakly attached and not as strongly involved in the bonding process.

Comments