You might have experienced this yourself. I have found that static electricity has a much greater chance of being created on a very dry winter day. In fact, for me, it only occurs on dry winter days. The Infographic explains, I hope, in basic terms why this happens.
The buildup of static electricity between a cat caregiver’s hand and their cat is rare but it can happen and it can result in a very temporary shock to both cat and person.
For clarity, an electron is, in summary, a tiny, negatively charged particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom. It is responsible for electric currents, chemical bonding, and many fundamental interactions in physics and chemistry.
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Some more on electrons.
An electron is a fundamental subatomic particle with a negative electric charge. It’s one of the basic building blocks of atoms, which are the components of all matter. Electrons are crucial in many physical processes, including electricity, chemical bonding, and magnetism. Here’s a breakdown of the key characteristics of an electron:
1. Charge:
Electrons carry a negative charge of (-1) elementary charge (denoted as (-1e)). This charge is equal in magnitude but opposite to the positive charge of a proton. In terms of units, an electron’s charge is approximately (-1.602 \times 10^{-19}) coulombs.
2. Mass:
Electrons are incredibly light compared to other particles in an atom. An electron’s mass is about (9.109 \times 10^{-31}) kilograms, or roughly 1/1836 the mass of a proton. This makes them nearly massless in comparison to protons and neutrons, which make up the majority of an atom’s mass.
3. Location in an Atom:
Electrons are found orbiting the nucleus of an atom. The nucleus is composed of positively charged protons and neutral neutrons, while the negatively charged electrons exist in regions called electron clouds or orbitals around the nucleus. These orbitals are defined by quantum mechanics and describe where an electron is likely to be found.
4. Electron Behavior and Movement:
Electrons exhibit both particle-like and wave-like behavior (this is a principle of quantum mechanics known as wave-particle duality). In their wave-like state, they can exist in a spread-out probability distribution around the nucleus, rather than following fixed paths. This makes their exact position uncertain at any given moment, as described by the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle.
5. Role in Electricity:
Electrons play a central role in electricity. In metals, for example, electrons can move freely between atoms, creating a flow of electric charge when a potential difference (voltage) is applied. This movement of electrons is what constitutes electric current.
6. Role in Chemical Reactions:
Electrons are also involved in chemical bonding. The way electrons are shared or transferred between atoms forms the basis of chemical bonds, such as covalent and ionic bonds. Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom (called valence electrons) are especially important in determining how atoms interact and bond with each other.
7. Fundamental Nature:
Electrons are considered elementary particles, meaning they have no known internal structure or sub-particles. They belong to a family of particles known as leptons, which are not affected by the strong nuclear force (unlike protons and neutrons, which are made of quarks).
8. Antiparticle:
The antiparticle of the electron is the positron, which has the same mass as an electron but carries a positive charge. When an electron and a positron meet, they can annihilate each other, releasing energy in the form of photons (light particles).
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