Have you ever experienced the sensation of being electrocuted when in contact with other people or when touching objects such as door handles, window frames, or metal cabinets? That sensation you are experiencing is static electricity, and it is perfectly normal. But why can you experience static electricity? And can it be prevented? Check out the following review.

What is static electricity?

Did you know that the human body is a natural electromagnetic field? All objects or matter in the universe are atoms, including the human body. Our bodies contain atoms made up of protons (positive charge), electrons (negative charge), and neutrons (neutral charge).

Under an ideal condition, atoms have equal protons and electrons and a neutral atomic charge (neither positive nor negative). Static electricity occurs when positively and negatively charged atoms are imbalanced. An object becomes negatively charged when it contains more electrons; conversely, it will be positively charged when there are more protons than electrons.

When something has excess electrons, it will move towards the positive charge and vice versa. This displacement of the two charges plays a role in the emergence of static electricity reactions.

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Why do some people get electrocuted so often?

After understanding that everyone can potentially be a conductor of electricity, you may wonder why some people experience the sensation of being shocked. This could be due to an imbalance in the number of atoms and their movement. Some of these conditions can occur when you are:

• Touching metal objects 

Metal materials are conductors or electric conductors. Electron charges move more quickly on metal objects. Touching a metal object, such as a doorknob with a positive charge with few electrons, can cause atomic transfer, where the extra electrons from your body transfer to the doorknob.

• Wearing shoes with rubber soles

Highly insulated rubber shoe soles can play a role in the buildup of electrical charges. As you walk, static charges can build up on the soles of shoes with these materials. Then, when the charge becomes too much, and you touch an object that conducts electricity, you can feel electrocuted.

• Being in a dry weather area

During dry weather, such as in winter, electrical charges accumulate more easily on the skin surface. Therefore, the problem of static electricity is more often noticed during dry weather.

• Wearing wool, polyester, or silk clothing

These clothing materials tend to have unbalanced atomic charges, putting them at risk of atomic charge jumping.

• Getting out of the car

When sitting in a car, there is electrostatic discharge on the car seat and your body due to the contact and movement between your clothes and the seat. Elect electrostatic discharge and electric shock may occur when getting out of the car and touching a car door containing metal materials.

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How to avoid static electricity shock?

The shock that occurs with static electricity is not harmful, but it does cause a feeling of shock and discomfort. This could potentially lead to an accident if you are startled and happen to be holding a hot object or maybe the shock you feel makes you bump into something. In order not to experience this, you can do the following tips:

• Using a humidifier

Dry weather increases the risk of atomic imbalances that trigger static electricity. You can use a humidifier to make the air more humid to prevent static electricity.

• Applying moisturizer

Since dry weather can play a role in the buildup of electrical charges, you can apply moisturizer to prevent dry skin and minimize the risk of electrocution.

• Wearing shoes with thin soles or leather

Leather shoe soles can be an option to reduce the risk of static shock.

• Wearing clothes that made of cotton

Compared to clothing materials such as wool or polyester, cotton clothing has a more stable charge that does not trigger static shock.

Static electricity is harmless, but if you experience the dangerous effects of electric shock, you should consult a doctor. If you have any health-related questions, you can also use the consultation feature on the AI Care app, which can be downloaded to your mobile phone.

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