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Electrostatic Charge

Uses.

Electrostatic charge is used in paint spraying, inkjet printers, photocopiers
and the removal of pollution from industrial chimneys.

Millions of cars are made each year
and the car bodies must all be painted to prevent them from going rusty.
The paint is sprayed onto the car bodies
and the process is made more efficient by using electrostatic charge.

The paint spray goes past a high voltage positive needle
as it leaves the spray gun
and the tiny droplets of paint pick up a positive charge.
Remember, they do this by losing negative electrons.
It is only the electrons which can move.
The car body is then given a high voltage negative charge
which attracts the positively charged paint droplets.

This is good for two reasons.
Firstly, the paint droplets spread out more as they leave the gun.
This happens because they all get the same positive charge
and so they all repel each other.
This is better than coming straight out of the gun
as the paint will cover a wider area more evenly.

Paint Spray Gun

Secondly, the paint droplets are attracted to the negative metal car body,
and so less paint will be wasted on the floor or the walls of the paint shop.

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Copyright © 2008 Dr. Colin France. All Rights Reserved.