static charges

Static charges are electric charges that build up on the surface of an object and stay there for a short time instead of flowing away.

• They often form when two different materials are rubbed together. During rubbing, tiny particles called electrons can move from one material to the other.
• An object that gains extra electrons becomes negatively charged, while an object that loses electrons becomes positively charged.
• The charges are called “static” because they are mostly stationary. This is different from electric current, where charges flow through a wire.
• A charged comb can attract small paper pieces because it causes charges inside the paper to shift slightly, making the nearer side attracted to the comb.
• Static charge can suddenly escape as a tiny spark, such as the small shock sometimes felt after walking on a carpet and touching a metal door handle.

Static charges show that objects can push or pull each other even when they are not touching.