MY CAT HAS MAJOR STATIC ELECTRICITY! ?
We have that problem, too, right now because it is cold and dry and when I pet my cats they crackle. I have a fleece blanket on my bed for the cats (they love fleece) and last night one of my cats was wrapped up in it and when I pulled it off him to spread it out for the other cats I could actually see sparks. I know fabric softener is supposed to reduce static in the dryer, but I don't' think I'd use it on my cats. What might work, however, and would be safer for kitty is a natural coat conditioning spray that is made specifically for pets that is safe for cats, or a pet fur conditioner rubbed into your hands then rubbed lightly onto the kitty's fur. Unfortunately I cannot recommend a specific brand. Or you can use a humidifier to add some moisture to your indoor air. I find that when it's dry inside and I use the humidifier for my sinuses we have no static electricity at all.
Can static electricity kill me (if not, make me blind or do physical damage), create fire, or damage electronics?
Static electricity won't do you any harm so long as it remains actually static. You can rest your hand on the ball of a van der graaf generator without fear, so long as you are standing on a good insulator. If the formerly static electricity finds a path to flow to ground through you, though, it becomes regular electricity and you may experience anything from a slight discomfort to instant death, depending on the current (the amount of static electricity available, divided by the time it takes to flow to ground). Anyone touching the girl below while at the same time resting their other hand on a water pipe would share an unforgettably shocking experience with her.
Why can you sometimes see static electricity sparking in the dark?
Why can you sometimes see static electricity sparking in the dark?If you have two conductors, one near the other, with a voltage difference between them, then depending on the distance, on the gas present and the voltage difference, electrons could jump from the negative conductor to the positive conductor, with high speed (energy).Several of those electrons hit the gas atoms ionizing them, i.e. force one atom electrons to a higher orbit around the atom. In about 10nsec, the exited electron returns to its orbit (directly or in steps) emitting photons. Those photons are the photons that you see sparking in the dark (or in daylight if the number of those photons is high enough.This is a common phenomenon in static or sustain electric fields that are present despite the electron flow, if the above condition applies.Thus, in static electric field, if you walk on a carpet (charging yourself) and touch a grounded metal (or a friend) a spark (maybe visible, but definitely able to feel) will jump from your hand.Or the car ignition spark-plug, or just a lighting.In sustain electric fields you do see a continuous "spark", i.e. an arc as in welding machine (among other luminous reasons), or fluorescence lamps or xenon projector lamp…
Is it ok that my electric blanket emits staticky sparkles?
Not an expert on static here. Nevertheless some comments:Maybe the insulation of the blanket is wearing off. If it didn't have this reaction last time and there doesn't seem to be any fraying or loose connections somewhere that you can correct, definitely change it.Humidity plays a role in static charges building up, the less humid the easier charges builds up. So unless you recently installed or changed your an air-conditioning unit and made your room very dry, likely it's a change caused by the electric blanket or something else.We don't use electric blankets where I live. So I don't know whether ALL blankets reduce the voltage to below 50V before going into the heating elements. If they do then it's pretty safe as generally <50V is considered safe for dry environments.However if they are not (or yours are not) then definitely change it if it's acting strange from before and humidity levels didn't change in your room.Sources on the web seems more concerned with safety in the forms of burning due to skin contact, fire, EMF effects and overheating the bodies of pregnant women. And oh, infertility to men. None seemed to care about electrocution.Someone else who has seen many electric blankets or know how their internal circuits work will be able to comment more.
Christmas Lights + Cats = Shock?
I have two cats and one kitten. My oldest cat I got from the Humane Society at 6 months, and I had for almost a year before Christmas. He never bothered with the lights. The other cat and the kitten I got a month or so before I put up my Christmas lights. Both cats were interested in the light wires, but I did the following so they wouldn't get hurt. I made sure to put the tree and lights up a little early so they would get used to the wire, but I didn't turn them on. Then, when I saw them starting to play with the wire, I gave them a little squirt from a squirt bottle, until they associated play with the wire and tree with getting wet, which they didn't like. After, I would try to redirect them to a toy mouse or something else in a different area of the room then the lights. This only took a few times before they got it into their heads that the Christmas tree is a no-no. My tree is up right now, and if I leave, I am sure to either put the end of the light string up out of kitten's reach, or I inspect it before plugging it in for teeth marks (this is for your home's protection), and so far, so good. As long as your lights aren't plugged in while you are "training" the kitties, you should be ok. Remember, water and electricity don't mix! :^) Don't worry, they learn quickly! BTW...for the person above that suggested the moth balls...just FYI...mothballs can be toxic, as can continued inhalation of the fumes. Be careful.
Why do our bed sheets spark? My girlfriend and I noticed bright sparks when we just move our hands across the fabric, we've never seen static electricity like this.
It’s your ‘animal magnetism’…….but seriously, what are the sheets mde of, and the humidity in the room.Static electricity can build up from tumble dryer, and be embedded in sheet , but if air is dry will not dissipate until touched.
Electric Spark from Serpentine belt..?
Static electricity,......generated by the moving belt
Why was the blanket sparking last night?!?
I went in to cover up my daughter before going to sleep last night, and when I picked up her blanket and moved it to tuck it around her, it was sparking! It was very dark in the room, and there were many obvious sparks of light coming from her blanket! Every time I moved it, it crackled and I saw a spark! Why was this happening and is it dangerous?! (It's winter here and the heat has been on in the house for weeks now.)
Explain What is happening when lightning strikes between clouds or touches earth?
There are several theories as to what causes lightning. The most widely accepted is that water and ice particles that are up in the storm cloud collide into each other. Charges (positive & negative) become seperated. This causes a strong electric field. Friction occurs within the cloud. Friction thus in return, causes static electricity. This buildup of static electricity has to find an opposing electric charged object in order to discharge. This could be another cloud, an object on earth or the ground. A lightning bolt is a big static electric discharge. Lightning tries to find the path of least resistance to ground in order to discharge. The lightning starts when a negative charge travels down towards the ground. Step leaders or also known as streamers are positively charged travel upwards to connect the negatively charged bolt. When the two meet, a return stroke is created and is made up of all positively charged electrons.