Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: paul.fr on 03/09/2007 05:21:13

Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: paul.fr on 03/09/2007 05:21:13: If i take a balloon and rub it on my head, electrons pass from my hair (assume i have some) on to the balloon. So i have fewer electrons now! Do i get them back, does my body miss them?
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: DoctorBeaver on 03/09/2007 08:19:57: Does that mean your hair gets ionised? [???]
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: nothingnobody on 03/09/2007 11:10:04: my guess is this that those electronics were not needed for your body in the first place thats why you lost them!
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: another_someone on 03/09/2007 11:47:31: All chemical processes involve ions, and the loss or gain of electrons. When you lose electrons (or gain - I am not sure whether rubbing a balloon takes electrons from the balloon and gives them to you, or from you and gives them to the balloon - although I'm sure someone somewhere must have measured which it is), then gradually you will renormalise the situation from elsewhere.

The most obvious and extreme case of this is where you have a more substantial static build-up (e.g. when you rub you hands along a plastic banister), then when you touch a conductive surface, you get a noticeable electric shock as an electric current rushes through the conductor, and into your body, in order to replace the lost electrons in a hurry. Normally, the static charge will be less, or the surfaces you touch will not be such good conductors, so the electric current you generate may be small enough that you will not notice it, but that current will be there, and it will be correcting any electron imbalance that occurs.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: lyner on 03/09/2007 13:34:38: The number of atoms in your body or on the balloon is HUGE.
In most materials, the outermost electrons of their atoms are shared by all the surrounding atoms. In the case of a metal, these 'valence' electrons drift around inside the solid, supplying a bit of attractive force to keep the bulk of metal together. Losing a few of them doesn't really have to involve 'ionisation' as such; that would imply individual atoms losing or gaining an electron.
GCSE Science doesn't really make that too clear and it often gives rise to confusion.
All that is involved when a few electrons are lost or gained is a tiny dilution of the overall forces keeping the object together as a lot of electrons change their positions (polarisation) within the structure.
The overall attraction / repulsion of the few unbalanced charges gradually causes the electrons to find their way to places where they are missing. When the insulation is good, this can take years and years - for a metal, it will be almost instantaneous.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: ramphysix on 06/09/2007 17:16:21: you can find very good sources about it on the following links
http://www.whatusearch.net/Science/Physics/
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: Bored chemist on 06/09/2007 20:23:49: I just lost an electron.
Are you sure?
Yes, I'm positive.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: lyner on 07/09/2007 18:17:02: You need to keep and ion people who make jokes like that.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: paul.fr on 08/09/2007 07:40:45: So true. i could be negative and moan about it, but he is a bright spark, with an electrifying whit. Not too sure if those in-charge feel the same.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: lightarrow on 08/09/2007 21:16:08: Quote from: Bored chemist on 06/09/2007 20:23:49
I just lost an electron.
Are you sure?
Yes, I'm positive.
Very nice. [:D]
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: Bored chemist on 09/09/2007 14:18:30: OK, so I'm no comic. I should have stayed static and realised my potential in my own field.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: lyner on 10/09/2007 13:45:37: Perhaps we should conduct ourselves away from the current discussion.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: paul.fr on 10/09/2007 14:23:52: There may be some resistance to that suggestion.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: lightarrow on 10/09/2007 15:51:48: Wow! How many poets! [:)]
(Could I say something like: all this induces in me a condensation of thoughts?)
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: lyner on 10/09/2007 23:02:41: This is all too shocking.
Terminate it.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: paul.fr on 11/09/2007 08:02:18: Quote
Terminate it.

OHMy god, are you serious?
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: lyner on 15/09/2007 23:15:56: serious or parallel?
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: Mr Andrew on 16/09/2007 04:09:38: Serious because people who can be serious now and then tend to show increased potential.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: paul.fr on 16/09/2007 09:21:52: Welcome Mr Andrew. if this surge of replies continues, i fear i may blow a fuse.
Title: I've just lost some electrons, do i get them back?
Post by: syhprum on 16/09/2007 10:55:15: By a process of induction I note this thread is entirely devoted to puns but I have no capacity to get involved