static discharge

The Mythbuster team examines the story that a heated jawbreaker could turn into an explosive bomb. They also examine whether a PVC pipe can hold enough electrical charge to kill a person. Finally, they test the myth that a common playing card could be used as a deadly weapon. Scientific concepts discussed include differential heating, energy absorption, pressure differentials, bite force, static charge build up, static discharge, friction, conductivity, insulation, grounding, Van de Graaff generators, electric fields, negative charges, electrons, humidity, flight aerodynamics, and rotational spin. The episode is available on either of the following DVD sets. They are identical.