Why do we sometimes give small electric shocks when we greet each other?

The human body can be wonderful, so much so that we are able to conduct electricity in small amounts to other objects. Have you ever received electric shocks when approaching someone or touching something? If you’ve wondered how this phenomenon occurs, this is a good time to read about it.

O awesome.club explains how our body is able to give and receive small bursts of energy and some advice to avoid them. Check out!

Everything around us is made up of atoms, and the human body is no exception. They are composed of protons, electrons and neutrons that have a positive, negative and neutral charge respectively. And although atoms generally have a similar number of these particles, electrons tend to move from place to place, that is, from our furniture to our clothes and from there to someone’s shoulder when we greet them.

When there is an imbalance of electrons and protons, that is, of negative and positive energy, an effect called static electricity is generated. We can create it consciously, like when we rub our hair in a balloon, so we’re picking up some electrons. However, later on, when we approach something with a positive charge, such as a metal object or a conductive material, it is possible to feel a slight spark. And that spark is the moving electrons.

In winter or in countries where the climate is dry and cold, static electricity can be more frequent, and this is due to the fact that humid air is actually a natural conductor, which interestingly can help to avoid large discharges. like those that happen in these types of environments that lack water vapor, causing frequent electrical discharges when handling or touching certain surfaces.

Metals are the main conductors of electricity, so much so that they are used to create objects for this purpose. But there are also fibers, such as polyester, which have a low level of conductivity and are found in large quantities in objects, furniture and clothes that we use in our daily lives, which makes it possible to give or receive these small discharges more frequently.

You can take small actions to prevent this phenomenon from being a discomfort in your everyday life:

Do not use rubber shoes for floors that produce static;

Moisten the rooms in your home if the cause is cold and dry weather;

Wear cotton clothes to avoid static;

Keep your skin hydrated;

Touch a metal constantly so that the static is released little by little;

There are also anti-static products that can help you clean surfaces.

How do you usually feel when this happens to you? What is your strategy to avoid this problem? Share your experiences in the comments!