What is electrostatics

Static electricity is invisible to the human eye. It cannot be identified until it discharges. The “zap” when touching the door handle, the paper scraps attracted by a piece of amber that has first been rubbed on the sleeve – all these are harmless manifestations of the same phenomenon.

Even the “Old Greeks“ knew about electrostatics

The first description of this natural force also comes from ancient Greece: Thales of Milet, a philosopher living around 600 B.C., was the person who coined the word “electrostatic”, meaning electricity at rest.

Electrostatics in nature

Electrostatic energy and health: For several decades health resorts and spas have used the beneficial effect of inhaling water aerosols with negative charges (waterfall electricity). The discovery of these positive effects can be traced back to the natural scientist J.G. Tralles in 1790. The lightning seen during thunderstorms is also an electrostatic phenomenon. This shows what immense power electrostatic energy can develop.

Dangers of electrostatics

The following incident demonstrates quite dramatically that static energy is not a trifling matter: water vapor can be excited to develop highly dangerous charges.

More about electrostatics:

• What is electrostatic energy?
• Electrostatics and industry
• Charging – Discharging
• Electrostatic systems
• Advantages for the industry