*ZAAAAP*
Did you feel that? A bolt of electricity flows through you, almost as if it’s waking you up in an unpleasant way. Your hair stands on end. Your fingers are numbing. You’re just not in the mood for this unwarranted attention grabber. Then, you realize it. The jolting feeling that caught you off guard came from the contact of none other than the cellular callbox at your friend’s neighborhood entrance gate. Ladies and gentlemen, we introduce you to the “shock” of static electricity.
*DUN. DUN. DUN.*
Static electricity is the interaction between two electrical charges. Once they collide, they emit tiny particles that sit at the surface of matter. These are called electrons, better known as the electric “shock” we are all oh-so familiar with. This transfer of electrons can happen on most surfaces where friction is possible. Because these electrons are typically confined to a finite amount of matter, the electric charge will build up on a particular surface. Common examples include shoes grazing a carpet or a child sliding down a playground slide; However, there is reason to believe that static electricity is most likely to be present among a specific material: metal.
With years of static electricity research to sift through, findings have shown metal to be a strong transmitter of static electricity. Various metals are known as conductors, meaning electrons move much more easily through them. According to ThoughtCo, “the most electrically conductive element is silver, followed by copper and gold. Silver also has the highest thermal conductivity of any element and the highest light reflectance.” The source also cites aluminum, zinc, nickel, iron, and platinum to have high electrical conductivity.
What might trigger your specific “shock” sensation, you may ask? One big factor that determines a material’s emission of static electricity is temperature. The drier the air, the more likely you are to feel that electric shock from a simple touch. Warmer, moist weather allows the electrons move more freely, allowing each’s static charge to be less aggressive. The state of the metal also plays a role in the amount of static electricity that is emitted. For example, an oxidized or tarnished metal will not give off a strong static “shock.”
Learning about static electricity is fun and all, but how’s it going to help you avoid getting shocked again? As you pull your finger away from the cellular callbox, one last thought crosses your mind.
“AHA!” you exclaim.
This community needs ZUUL Systems. ZUUL’s state-of-the-art guest management and security system was designed with two important concepts in mind: safety and ease of use. To do this, a ZUUL host sends you, the guest, an entry QR code. By using your digital QR code to enter a gated community, ZUUL allows guests to avoid the static shock received when making physical contact with a cellular callbox. Whether guests interact with a free-standing scanner or a gate guard with a scanner-compatible tablet, there’s no need to experience that unpleasant “shock” static electricity can only provide.
Join the community. To learn more, visit ZUUL Systems.