How many volts does it take for the human body to feel a static discharge?

How many volts does it take for the human body to feel a static discharge?

• A. 1000 Volts
• B. 3500 Volts
• C. 5000 Volts
• D. 2000 Volts

Answer: (B)

When you feel a static discharge, you’re sensing the moment a high voltage is enough to push current through the air and skin to your nervous system. In dry air, the air breakdown voltage between a person and a grounded surface is around 3,500 volts for a small gap, so that’s the voltage most commonly cited as the threshold at which a perceptible spark can occur. Humidity and the exact gap can shift this a bit, but 3,500 volts is the typical value used in safety training to indicate when a static spark is likely to be felt. The other options are either lower than what reliably produces a perceptible discharge under normal conditions or higher than the standard perceptible threshold.

When you feel a static discharge, you’re sensing the moment a high voltage is enough to push current through the air and skin to your nervous system. In dry air, the air breakdown voltage between a person and a grounded surface is around 3,500 volts for a small gap, so that’s the voltage most commonly cited as the threshold at which a perceptible spark can occur. Humidity and the exact gap can shift this a bit, but 3,500 volts is the typical value used in safety training to indicate when a static spark is likely to be felt. The other options are either lower than what reliably produces a perceptible discharge under normal conditions or higher than the standard perceptible threshold.