What does it feel like to get an electric shock when touching objects in winter? Is it dangerous to health?

What does it feel like to get an electric shock when touching an object ? Why do you get an electric shock when touching an object in winter? Let's find the answer together!

During the cold, dry months of winter, everyday actions like holding a door handle, turning on a light switch, or touching the metal frame of a car are more likely to cause an unpleasant but harmless static shock.

Static electricity, which results from an imbalance between positive and negative charges, is the result of an imbalance of electrical charges created by certain actions, including shuffling feet across a carpeted floor, says John Burkhauser, director of educational programs at Bolt Technology.

"Your body takes on a negative charge…" explains Burkhauser. "Negative and positive charges don't like to be near each other, so they repel each other."

According to Burkhauser, opposites attract, so as you reach for the doorknob, the negative charge on your body will continue to build up until there is enough voltage to allow the charge to “jump” between your hand and the doorknob in the form of a spark.

Let's learn more about this phenomenon in the article below.

Table of Contents

• What is the phenomenon of "getting shocked" when touching objects in winter?
• Does static electricity affect human health?
• How to avoid static electricity "shock" in winter?

What is the phenomenon of "getting shocked" when touching objects in winter?

This phenomenon is called "electrostatic reaction" - occurs due to the imbalance of electric charge on the surface of a material. Because of wearing many clothes in winter, during contact, friction will cause electric charge to transfer from one object to another, leading to an excess of negative charge on one object, while the other object has an excess of positive charge. When positive and negative come into contact with each other, it creates a discharge phenomenon, which can flash in the dark, and when pulled, there will be a crackling sound.

This is also the reason why many people accidentally touch a metal door handle and feel a little numb in their hands. The human body is a very special electrochemical machine that can generate a very small amount of electricity. When we accidentally rub against an object, we can feel a little numb. Therefore, when we accidentally touch a metal door handle, the negative charge on our body will continue to increase until it is enough to generate a weak amount of electricity that allows the charge between the hand and the door handle to cause a little numb in the hand.

Does static electricity affect human health?

The feeling of being shocked when touching an object does not affect human health. The electric current created by the static electricity process is very weak, not strong enough to cause death or affect health.

How to avoid static electricity "shock" in winter?

Some simple tips to eliminate static electricity, please refer to.

Increase humidity in the air

In winter, the humidity in the air is quite low. You can use a humidifier or a mist sprayer to create humidity in the air to help reduce static electricity, which explodes when there is friction between people and objects.

Pay attention to choosing clothing materials

Clothing made from synthetic fibers such as polyester, nylon, wool and rubber-soled shoes are common culprits of static electricity. To reduce this phenomenon, you should use clothes made from natural fabrics such as cotton and leather shoes.

Apply moisturizer to your hands regularly.

Maintaining and increasing the moisture level of your skin will help you avoid static electricity in the dry winter weather. Therefore, you should apply hand cream regularly to help your hands retain the appropriate moisture.

Add baking soda to the wash

To prevent static shock, you can use baking soda in your regular laundry routine. Baking soda will help block positive and negative charges, preventing them from creating static. You can add/remove 1/2 cup of baking soda depending on the amount of clothes you are washing.

Soaking clothes in fabric softener can also help prevent static electricity. Additionally, hanging clothes to dry is a more effective way to reduce the risk of static electricity than drying clothes.

Use a key or coin to touch a metal object

You can use a key or coin to touch a metal object. The key acts as an intermediate conductor, reducing the intensity of the discharge by spreading the charge over a larger area.

Use your knuckles, not your fingers.

You can also touch the object with your knuckles first. The knuckles have fewer nerve endings than the fingertips, so the static discharge will not be painful.

Static electricity is generally harmless. However, in certain environments, such as manufacturing facilities or areas with flammable gases such as propane, static electricity sparks can pose a serious risk, potentially causing a fire or explosion.

People who work with computers or electronic equipment, where lasers are used to study cold atoms, often wear special grounding bracelets connected to metal work stations to prevent static buildup.

Other solutions include grounding mats, heel straps that connect the skin to the floor, and anti-static floor coverings or materials.