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static shock from my coffee?

Cr0nJ0b

Cr0nJ0b

Golden Member
I thought I would post this because I was really surprised to find out that one can get static electric shocks from a cup of coffee...

I know that you will all explain this in a very reasonable fashion, but it just seems counter intuitive. I always thought that water could conduct, but not hold a charge...at least not one strong enough to zap me when I take a sip.

I know it's possible, because it happens almost every day, but I just find it odd.

How long would the drink hold such a charge? and if it lost the charge where would it go?

In my case, I get 3 shots of decaf espresso poured over ice, in a large plastic cup. I add milk, flip it over to mix the milk in...add a plastic strap and sip....ZAP...
 
The best part of waking up
Is with electrons in your cup!

A cup is an insulator (or in the case the dielectric), the coffee a decent conductor. You would be surprised how much charge a beverage can store. As long as there is a differential there will be current flow. Hearing a crack and feeling it in your hand is pretty significant, however.
 
Grounding yourself AND your coffee is the only way to assure you won't get zapped. If the coffee is at higher potential and you are lowering YOUR potential via grounding the intensity of the shock will actually worsen.
 
Also your body could be building up the charge and then you discharge it when you come in contact with the liquid.
 
It could be caused by the combination of wool shirt and silk boxers.

Every time you move, something gets zapped.
 
Water isn't the problem, it is what is in the water. Liquids store a charge all the time in batteries. Have you tried it without the plastic strap ? Adding another dielectric over the first one is basically creating an air capacitor if there is any moisture on the cup or second plastic, though not a very strong one.

I had a project to do that involved carving styrofoam. If you really want to see a mess, try carving styrofoam on a dry day in the winter. The shavings will attach to everything , your hands, clothes, the walls. The only way I could control the situation was to mist the area with water and fabric softener in a spray bottle.
 
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