National Static Cling Day – April 26, 2024

History of National Static Cling Day

Static cling occurs as a reaction between objects that results from the effects of static electricity. Static electricity itself is a disproportion of electric charges within a material, on the surface of that material, or between materials. The charge persists until it is made moveable by way of electric current or electrical discharge. Static electricity is named in contrast with current electricity, where the electric charge flows through an electrical conductor or space and transmits energy, other than remaining on a surface.

A static electric charge can occur if two surfaces come in close contact, have separated, and at least one of the surfaces is highly resistant to electric current, thereby making it an electrical insulator. The effects of static electricity are easily recognizable to most people as it is possible for them to feel, hear, and even see the spark resulting from, the excess electric charge being neutralized when brought close to a large electrical conductor or a surface area with an excess charge of the opposite polarity (positive or negative). The common phenomenon of a static shock, which is more specifically an electrostatic discharge, is caused by the neutralization of an electric charge.

The Leyden jar, a device for storing static electricity, was accidentally discovered by Pieter van Musschenbroek, a Dutch physicist at the University of Leiden. It was in its earliest form, a glass vial, usually filled partly with water, the opening of which was sealed by a cork with a wire dipping into the water. To charge the jar, the exposed end of the wire was brought into contact with a friction device that produced static electricity. In its present form, both the inner and outer surfaces of an insulating jar are coated with sheets of metal foil.