Eli5 What was the static on a CRT TV screen and how did it get there?

Question

I was talking to my brother the other day about what kids these days well never experience and this topic came up.

I remember as a kid I liked to brush my hand on the tv screen so I could feel the fuzzy air. What was that and why was it there?

In: Physics

Answer 1

CRT – Cathode Ray Tube- displays work by directing a beam of electrons into the screen to produce an image. All those electrons will also create an immense static charge in and around the screen, which attracts the hairs on your skin due to their opposite charges.