How to Make Static Shoot Out of Your Hands

Everyone has experienced the result of static buildup: that feeling when you touch a metal door handle or a nearby person and you feel the quick spark of a shock between you. Static electricity is caused by a buildup of unbalanced electric charge between two surfaces or bodies. Creating static electricity is intriguing, but it must be done safely.

Since all materials are made up of connected atoms that use positively charged protons and negatively charged electrons, static electricity occurs when two surfaces are in contact or are rubbed in a way that has one take up a positive charge while the other builds up a negative charge. The charges in these surfaces will be repelled and will migrate to opposite ends of the charged entities. If these systems hit a ground, this built-up charge will be released, and a visible, audible spark can be seen as the charge balance neutralizes itself.

Since the neutralizing action can produce an actual spark, the rebalancing of static electricity can ignite flammable substances in some conditions. Whether the charge buildup comes from someone's hands or from the transfer of a liquid into a new container (which will also build static electricity as the surface of the liquid brushes up against the surface of the transfer conduit), in the presence of a flammable material, this can cause a fire or even an explosion. This is why most gas station dispensers are grounded, and it's advised to ground yourself against a metal part of your car before getting back inside after pumping gas.

If you're looking for ways to build up static electricity, there are a number of ways to do so with your own body. The awareness of rubbing surfaces together to produce a spark has existed since 600 B.C. You can build up static charge on yourself by standing on an insulated floor (such as carpet or wood) far away from metallic objects. Rub your hands against a different, somewhat furry object, like a piece of carpet or even your pet.

Once you move to bring your hands close to another object made of metal, you should be able to feel the discharge of the static electricity you've built up, and if the lights are off, you may even be able to see the spark. This can also be done by shuffling across a carpet without picking up your feet and then touching something conductive, like a metal doorknob (or a person if you have both consented). In both cases, you will feel and see the spark if the conditions are right. This can be used to make static electricity come from your hands and release into a grounded space.

You can make tiny lightning come from your hands using a metal cooking surface and a piece of Styrofoam. A dimmer room will make sparks more observable. First, cut off a piece of Styrofoam and attach it to the metal object (pie tins work well) with masking tape.

Then, take the tray and rub it all over your hair quickly. Set down the tray on a table made from wood or plastic. Then, pick up the pie tin by the handle only and drop it onto the Styrofoam tray. When you bring a finger to touch the pie tin, you'll see a spark as your finger makes contact. If you then use your other hand to pick up the pie tray by its handle, you can see a second spark by touching the same finger to the pie tin. If you then drop the pie tin onto the Styrofoam tray and repeat this process, you can continue to throw out multiple sparks from your own body.