Charge Dangers
Physics: Edexcel IGCSE, topic 2.5.5
Dangers of Sparking
Sparking can be dangerous in certain situations, such as when fuelling cars.
Fuelling cars
- When fuel is pumped through a hose into a car, it rubs against the hose.
- This results in an electrostatic charge building up due to friction.
Imperfections and gaps
- There are imperfections in the fuel and gaps in the hose system so charged fuel can escape as vapour (gas).
- When gas leaks, a tiny spark can ignite the vapour (set it on fire) which can have catastrophic, explosive consequences.
Earthing
- It is important to make sure the hose supplying the fuel to the car is Earthed.
- This reduces the risk of sparking from happening.
Test yourself on Charge Dangers
Which of these is a safety measure that reduces the risk of sparking when fuelling cars?
Dangers of Sparking - Fuelling Cars
To prevent sparking, what needs to be Earthed when fuelling a car?