Question

Two uses of static electricity and dangers of static electricity

Answer 1

Answer: The uses of static electricity include:

--> photocopying machines

--> precipitators

The dangers of static electricity include:

--> sparks that can lead to explosion

--> Damage to electronic equipment

Explanation:

STATIC electricity is defined as the imbalance that exists between a positive and a negative charge either within or outside an object. This is because all physical objects are made up of atoms which contains protons, electrons and neutrons. The protons are positively charged, the electrons are negatively charged, and the neutrons are neutral. This shows that physical objects are made up of charges.

Opposite charges attract each other (negative to positive). Like charges repel each other (positive to positive or negative to negative). Most of the time positive and negative charges are BALANCED in an object, which makes that object neutral.

Applications( uses) of static electricity include:

--> photocopying machines: Inkjet photocopiers and printers use static electricity to guide a minute jet of ink to the page’s precise position.

--> precipitators: the static electricity is applied in an electrostatic precipitator whereby they remove smoke from waste gases before they pass out of the chimneys in power stations that burn fossil fuels.

The disadvantages (dangers) of static electricity include:

--> Sparks that can lead to explosion: sparks generated from static electricity can cause fires or explosions due to the ignition of flammable or explosive mixtures.

--> Damage to electronic equipment: this is due to components from electrostatic discharge.