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Posted

That's a pretty picture, but perhaps if you were to explain exactly what you are trying to do we could help you.

What, for instance, is connecting the two pieces of foil?

 

If you have one charged object and suddenly connect it to another that is not charged, the available charge will spread out over both objects (and the connecting wire) so reducing the charge density all over (to about 40% from your picture).

 

Also foil has a large surface area so will leak charge very quickly to the atmossphere, especially if the air is slightly damp.

  • 1 month later...
Posted

Static electricity that travels ( along a potential gradient ) is a current.
It is only 'static', and maximally separated, when it stops travelling.

Posted
12 minutes ago, thomasparker said:

I believe static electricity has the ability to travel along a wire if it has a large enough pull from one pole to another.

lightning.jpg

Here is a video of lightning blowing up a transformer

That is not static, is it.

Posted
22 minutes ago, thomasparker said:

believe static electricity has the ability to travel along a wire if it has a large enough pull from one pole to another.

I think you may have mixed up static electricity and electrostatic discharge?

Posted
14 minutes ago, Ghideon said:

I think you may have mixed up static electricity and electrostatic discharge?

I am revealing my ignorance

It's best I refrain from further posting

Posted

Don't do that.
If you've learned something, it was a net gain.
We are all ignorant of one thing or another, yet we still post.
( yes, we have no shame :) )

Posted
1 hour ago, thomasparker said:

Are you making a statement or asking a question

It was a rhetorical question. :-)

Feel free to stick around and ask questions if you feel you don't understand 

Posted
25 minutes ago, John Cuthber said:

To be fair, they are closely related ideas.

True! 
And even more related in everyday talk*?

-"F**K!" 
-"Did you get a hold from the handle?" 
-"Yea, damn static electricity!"

Less common: (?)
-"AOUH!"
-"Did you have a buildup of static electricity?"
-"Yea, and I got a jolt from a sudden electrostatic discharge when I touched the handle."
 

 

2 hours ago, thomasparker said:

I am revealing my ignorance

You should have seen my ignorance before I started to ask relevant questions. There's still plenty of it left but members at this place tend to reduce it over time.

 

*) Standard disclaimer: English isn't my first language. 

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