Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Lesson :: Curriculum

Computer Technology & Repair Model

Units:

Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) Lesson

Part of Unit: Safety and Enviromental Issues

Lesson Plan Overview / Details

Describe what (ESD) is and why it is important to a computer technician.
Describe the damage that can be caused by ESD to electrical and computer components.
Describe ways of preventing or eliminating ESD.
Describe and/or demonstrate effective ESD Workstation Components.

Lesson Time

Classroom: 120 Minutes

Standards

California Career and Technical Education Standards

California Academic Content Standards (Reinforced)

ELA.9-10.R.CAGT.2.6 Demonstrate use of sophisticated learning tools by following technical direction...2

Objectives and Goals

Upon completion of this assignment, students will be able to recognize the effects of electrostatic discharge (ESD) while working around computer components.
The student will be able to discuss and demonstrate ways to minimize or eliminate the damaging impact of ESD on sensitive electrical and computer equipment

Teacher Note

Materials

Balloons
String
Felt-tip markers (permanent)
Adhesive tape
Wool cloth

Background

Wool cloth readily gives up electrons to other materials it touches. Rubbing a balloon with a wool cloth allows the balloon to accumulate an excess of electrons, and it will become negatively charged. The rubbed portion of the balloon will then be attracted to positively or neutrally charged objects (by induction), and repelled by other negatively charged objects. If the balloon is permitted to touch an object that is not negatively charged, some of the excess electrons will be transferred and the degree of attraction will decrease.

Activities in this Lesson

Anticipatory - Hooks / Set
When the students sign-in on roster at the beginning of class, they are to touch an electrostatic generator placed at the front of class. Then the teacher will explain the objective of today's lesson.
Demonstration/ Modeling Activity - Demo / Modeling
Procedure

This activity is an excellent teacher demonstration,and should be modeled before the group does this.
- Inflate a balloon and draw a face on it with a permanent marker. (Caution: some types of permanent marker may weaken the balloon and cause it to pop.)
- Tie off the balloon and suspend it from a doorway or ceiling using tape and string. The balloon should hang at the level of your head when you stand on the floor.
- Rub the face of the balloon with a wool cloth. The balloon will now face you and move toward you whenever you approach it. You now have an admirer!
- Try to determine how far away the attractive force is able to act. Is the balloon still attracted toward you if you position a piece of cardboard between the balloon and your face? Can you wind up the string without touching it by making the balloon follow you round and round in a circle?
- How do you think your admirer will react if you create another admirer? Draw a face on a second balloon, rub its face with wool, and suspend it near the first admirer. Describe the way they react to each other.
Understanding ESD - Group Work
Procedure

Students will gain more from the opportunity to make and experiment with their own "admirers." This can be done by each student or in teams of two.
- Inflate a balloon and draw a face on it with a permanent marker. (Caution: some types of permanent marker may weaken the balloon and cause it to pop.)
- Tie off the balloon and suspend it from a doorway or ceiling using tape and string. The balloon should hang at the level of your head when you stand on the floor.
- Rub the face of the balloon with a wool cloth. The balloon will now face you and move toward you whenever you approach it. You now have an admirer!
- Try to determine how far away the attractive force is able to act. Is the balloon still attracted toward you if you position a piece of cardboard between the balloon and your face? Can you wind up the string without touching it by making the balloon follow you round and round in a circle?
- How do you think your admirer will react if you create another admirer? Draw a face on a second balloon, rub its face with wool, and suspend it near the first admirer. Describe the way they react to each other.
Activity #1 - Group Work
Students are to complete this lab activity for the instructor to check for understanding on this topic.

Scenario

You have just been hired by a local computer store as a repair technician. The store has not had a repair

facility before. You are left to your expertise and experience to establish an area to diagnose and

troubleshoot PCs.

Procedures

With the exception of monitors, all computer equipment should be examined and repaired on an ESD

Workstation.

1 st Step

Gather and identify the following components:

· ESD wrist strap and cable: one end of the cable attaches to the wrist strap, the other plugs into the

ESD mat. You may have to unplug the alligator clip on the far end of the ESD wrist strap to plug it

into the ESD mat.

· ESD mat: this rubberized mat has plugs or cables to connect the mat to an ESD wrist strap, the

computer case, and ground.

· Ground cord: one end plugs into the ESD mat and the other end contains a one-prong electrical

plug instead of three-prong plug. The single-prong plugs into the rounded slot of a three-prong wall

socket.

2 nd Step

Lay the ESD mat on the table with the snap connector facing up. Attach the ground cable to the snap

connector on the mat.

3 rd Step

Leave the ground cord unplugged.

4 th Step

Attach the ESD wrist strap to its cable and plug the other end into the ESD mat.

Summary: You have just identified and assembled the components necessary for an ESD workstation.
- Computer Maintenance Lab 1.doc [ Download ]