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I recently bought a new dressing gown and I am experiencing a lot of static electricity build up when wearing it.

It got me thinking, where are those electrons coming from? I would have thought that if the robe is rubbing electrons off my body, then as a unit of (me + robe), we still have the same number of electrons (they just moved from me to the robe). So then why do I receive a shock every time I touch the metal taps in the bathroom?

Also any tips on preventing it appreciated! A friend mentioned something about surfactants in washing powder and suggested I wash it. Why would that help?

Note: There is a related question How To Avoid Getting Shocked By Static Electricity, but it only answers the 2nd part of the question, I've highlighted in bold the bit I'd like a physics explanation for.

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magritte
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2 Answers2

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They have moved from you to the robe, but it's your body, with its normal electrostatic balance now gone, that is making the complete connection between the tap and say, a wet floor.

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It's due to a non-conservative force called friction. There are different types, like rubbing two sticks to start a fire, or when it comes to jackets, depending on the material, the sleaves interact with the torso part when you walk thus making friction.

QuantumSerbian
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