What are Types of Electricity?

The 2 primary types of electricity are static electricity and current Electricity. Electricity type is the specific form or nature of electrical current, which can be categorized into different types based on its characteristics. 

Static electricity results from the accumulation of electrical charges between two bodies, often caused by the transfer of electrons during processes like friction or induction. Static electricity examples include (Rubbing two objects together, Lightning strike). It has several applications ( Air Filters and Dustbuster, Cleaning solar panels).

Current electricity is the steady flow of electrons through a conductor, measured in amperes, and necessitates a conductive medium for the easy movement and passage of electric charges. Current electricity  Examples (Household Power Tool, Electric Cars). The Differences Between Current and Static Electricity comes from (Cause of Emergence, The magnetic field, Uses).

This article answers the following questions: What is Static Electricity? How Does Static Electricity Work? What are Static Electricity Examples? What is Current Electricity? What are Current Electricity Examples? What are the Differences Between Current and Static Electricity Types? Do Solar Panels Produce DC or AC? Are Solar Panels Affected by Static Electricity? How Efficient Are Solar Panels? What Type of Electricity is Used in Homes?

What is Static Electricity?

Static electricity is the occurrence that arises between two bodies accumulating electrical charges, either through processes of induction or friction. This energy type buildup occurs when, for instance, two materials rub against each other, transferring electrons from one surface to another due to the energy level differential.

Static electricity is the process of discharging different objects of negative and positive charges inside them. The first body must carry a positive charge, and the other must carry a negative one opposite. One of the two bodies has a small number of charges, while the other contains many electrical charges. Charges move from the body with a large number of charges to the other with a smaller number of charges. The movement of electrical charges between the two bodies continues until they are electrically equal, carrying the same number of electrical charges.

This energy transfer process is short, instantaneous, and occurs very quickly. This electrical phenomenon can be represented by observing what happens when you touch someone. This phenomenon is known as electrostatic discharge, and it is a clear and straightforward example of the process of discharging electrical charges.

How Does Static Electricity Work?

Static electricity type is formed when two or more objects touch and separate again. Electrons move from one atom to another in one of 2 ways:

• Electric charge through friction: Some objects are charged after they rub against each other, which results in the transfer of electrons, as one object is electrically charged and the other is electric. When atoms come into contact, electrons are transferred between them. Substances that lose electrons lose a negative charge and become positively charged as the number of protons exceeds the number of electrons. On the other hand, the substance that gains electrons becomes negatively charged. As more electrons are transferred from one substance to another due to repeated contact, an additional negative charge accumulates, and the triboelectric effect occurs.
• Electrical charge by induction does not require contact between objects to generate an electrical charge. Suppose the material contains a negative charge and approaches an electrically neutral body. In that case, the neutral electrons are repelled by the excess electrons from the charged one, and thus, the neutral body moves away from the charged body.

What are Static Electricity Examples?

The following list shows 4 main examples of static electricity types:

• Rubbing two objects together, especially when the objects are insulated, and the surrounding air is dry, as happens when you drag your feet with socks across the carpet: static electricity accumulates in the body, so when someone touches the same place, they feel an electric shock. Your feet and the carpet have equal and opposite charges, and an attractive force develops between them as the atoms in your body strip electrons away from the carpet and leave behind a positive charge on the carpet’s fibres.
• Rubbing a piece of glass with a cloth: When the fabric is thick enough, the insulating glass becomes electrically charged and attracts small particles nearby.
• Combing: The comb is made of an insulating plastic material. When it is passed repeatedly through the hair, it is charged with electrons, and the hair rises.
• Lightning strike: Occurs when an area of a cloud accumulates an excess of electrical charge. Small hail particles form in the cloud when moisture in the air freezes. These particles transfer charge as they grow, move within the cloud, and collide with each other. When additional charged hail particles form, charge separation occurs, with the air acting as an insulator between the charged particles in the cloud and between the cloud and the ground. When the significant excess of charge overcomes the insulating ability of the air, static electricity is discharged between the clouds or between the ground and the cloud.

Static electricity type is used in many applications, including the following 3:

•  Air Filters and Dustbuster: Take advantage of charge differences between materials to remove airborne particles. When electrostatically charged air molecules pass through the filter system, they are captured and trapped by the filter layers, which have the opposite charge.
• Printing on copiers or lasers: The beam of light that illuminates the image or text in the scanning process transfers an electrical charge to a light-sensitive drum. The toner powder with magnetic properties adheres to the parts the light beam senses as it passes through the drum. When the paper passes through the drum, the ink peels off and sticks to the surface, transferring the contents of the drum.
• Cleaning solar panels: Researchers from MIT have developed a method for using static electricity to clean solar panels. In this approach, an electrode is moved over a solar panel, imparting an electrical charge to the dust particles present on the panel’s surface. Simultaneously, another electrode located on the panel’s glass cover transfers its electric charge to the panel’s surface. As a result, the dust particles are swiftly repelled from the panel, ensuring an efficient cleaning process without the use of excessive resources or causing damage to the panel.

What is Current Electricity?

Current electricity (Dynamic electricity) is the flow of electrons (electric charge) through a conductor called electric current. Current electricity is measured in amperes and requires a conductor so that electrons can flow and pass easily. This type of electricity can be observed when electrical charges move steadily.

Moving electricity can be divided into 2 types of electricity:

• Direct current electricity (DC): It is electricity in which electrons move in one direction only, but from the negative pole to the positive pole. On the contrary, it moves from the positive pole to the negative pole when it is transferred to the conductor. DC electricity can be stored inside batteries.
• Alternating current electricity (AC): This type of electricity can go in both directions. Alternating current electricity can flow from left to right and from right to left. Alternating current is continuously variable, and this type is used in electricity because it is transmitted very easily. Its cost is reasonable. This form of electricity retains much of its energy without significant losses.

The following figure shows the direct current electricity and the alternating current electricity:

What are Current Electricity Examples?

Current electricity is a technology used to power and operate devices and equipment with a mobile electrical power source. Current electricity is provided by the grid, rechargeable batteries, or portable generators. Here are 4 common uses of Current electricity type:

•  Household Power Tools: Mobile electricity can be used in household power tools such as vacuum cleaners, choppers, portable lighting devices, and cordless steam irons.
• Electric Cars: Electric cars are an essential use of mobile electricity. Rechargeable batteries power electric motors and provide the power needed to move the vehicle.
• Cell phones and small electronic devices rely heavily on moving electricity—rechargeable batteries power cell phones, tablets, wireless speakers, smart watches, etc.
• Hand Power Tools: Movable electricity can be used in hand power tools such as electric drills and screwdrivers. These tools are usually powered by rechargeable batteries.

What are the Differences Between Current and Static Electricity Types?

Current electricity is the electricity that arises as a result of the flow of a stream of electrons through a conductor or the electricity that occurs as a result of the movement or flow of electrons from one area to another. It is called current because it is generated due to the flow of moving electrons. While static electricity is the electricity that occurs when electrical charges accumulate on the surface of a material. Static electricity arises due to an imbalance between negative charges and positive charges in things as a result of the friction of materials with each other and the transfer of electrons from one material to another after this friction.

The following table shows the 5 differences between current and static electricity types:

Do Solar Panels Produce DC or AC?

Solar Panels charge generates a direct current electricity (DC) captured by the wiring in solar panels. An inverter is employed to convert this DC electricity into alternating current (AC), the type of electrical current utilized when plugging appliances into standard wall sockets.

Solar Panels do not generate static electricity and do not get affected by it in general. Solar Panels generate direct electricity (DC) ) at efficiency can achieved around 23.8%. Solar inverter is used to transfer (DC) from solar panels into (AC) for home applications.

Are Solar Panels Affected by Static Electricity?

Solar panels aren’t impacted by static electricity. Solar panels, due to their robust design capable of withstanding diverse environmental conditions, such as extreme temperatures and weather. But, in rare instances, a static electricity build-up might pose a risk of damaging solar panel components or electrical connections. Typically, this concern is minimal, as the construction materials of solar panels are generally not prone to generating static electricity, and the low voltage in most solar panel systems is insufficient to cause any significant static charge-related damage.

How Efficient Are Solar Panels?

The efficiency of solar panels in generating direct current electricity varies. The most efficient ones achieved around 23.8%, though the theoretical maximum is 86.8% according to the laws of physics. To know How Efficient solar panels are, you need to look at panel type, construction, and operating conditions. Monocrystalline panels are the most efficient (17% to 22.8%), followed by polycrystalline panels (13% to 16.9%) and thin-film panels (10% to 12%). Efficiency is calculated by dividing the electricity produced by the amount of sunlight received.

What Type of Electricity is Used in Homes?

The type of electrical current used as a source to feed home networks is alternating current (AC), not direct current (DC). Solar inverter is used to transfer DC from solar panels into Ac for home applications. The reason for its use is due to the presence of 8 essential features, which are:

• It loses little energy when transported over long distances.
• More reliable and safe.
• Its voltage and current can be increased and decreased via electrical transformers.
• It is more efficient than DC when generated.
• The cost of generating, transmitting and distributing alternating current is lower than its direct counterpart.
• Economical and practical.
• Converting alternating current to direct current is inexpensive and easy to perform.
• Building an electric power station to produce alternating current can be a manageable space.