As a person moves about in a dry environment, electric charge accumulates on his

Question

As a person moves about in a dry environment, electric charge accumulates on his body. Once it is at high voltage, either positive or negative, the body can discharge via sometimes noticeable sparks and shocks. Consider a human body well separated from ground, with the typical capacitance 180 pF

a) What charge on the body will produce a potential of 10.0 kV?

b) Sensitive electronic devices can be destroyed by electrostatic discharge from a person. A particular device can be destroyed by a discharge releasing an energy of 250

Explanation / Answer

a)

Charge on the body is

Q=CV =(180*10-12)*(10*103)

Q=1.8*10-6 C or 1.8 uC

b)

Energy stored in capacitor is

E=(1/2)CV2

=>V=sqrt[2*E/C]=sqrt[2*(250*10-6)/(180*10-12)

V=1666.67 Volts or 1.667 KV

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