Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)

Category: science

The sudden flow of electricity between two electrically charged objects, often caused by contact.

ESD is the "silent killer" of electronics. A tiny zap of static from your finger is enough to fry a motherboard or a CPU pin instantly. Using an anti-static wrist strap or touching a grounded metal object before handling parts is mandatory for all PC builders.

Common Examples

• The motherboard failed to boot because it was damaged by an accidental electrostatic discharge during the initial installation.
• Always follow proper anti-static precautions when building a custom PC to protect sensitive components from invisible, damaging voltage spikes.