The Generation of Static Electricity in the Human Body
Static electricity is generated during human activities such as walking and standing. The human body is the most common source of static electricity, making static electricity protection extremely important.
Why does the human body generate static electricity? Static electricity is caused by the transfer of electrons in the outer shell of atoms due to various external forces, forming positive and negative ions. When any two objects of different materials come into contact, charge transfer and accumulation occur, forming static electricity. Static electricity on the human body is mainly caused by friction between clothing or between clothing and the body. Therefore, the amount of "charge" varies depending on the material of the clothing. For example, clothing made of synthetic fibers is more likely to generate static electricity, while cotton clothing generates less. Furthermore, dry environments are more conducive to charge transfer and accumulation, which is why people feel more static electricity in winter.
The most effective way to control static electricity in the human body is to "connect" the body to the ground, i.e., "grounding." Therefore, people should wear anti-static shoes and anti-static clothing. To maintain a connection between the human body and the ground, the ground must also be anti-static to conduct static electricity from the body to the earth. Therefore, anti-static mats or anti-static table mats can be used, connected to the ground with anti-static grounding wires. If the budget allows, anti-static raised floors can be chosen, especially when planning and designing computer rooms and factories. If the computer room or factory is already set up and the equipment is already installed, and you don't want the installation of anti-static equipment to cause production downtime, then inexpensive and easy-to-install anti-static mats or anti-static composite boards are a good option.
The electrostatic potential generated by human activity varies under different humidity conditions. In dry seasons, human static electricity can reach several thousand or even tens of thousands of volts. Experiments have shown that a static voltage of 50,000 volts does not cause discomfort, and even carrying a 120,000-volt high-voltage static charge is not life-threatening. However, electrostatic discharge also generates an electromagnetic field around it, although the duration is short, the intensity is very high. Researchers are studying the effects of electrostatic electromagnetic fields on the human body.