Statics

Static electricity is all about the transfer of charges. Sometimes when you touch a metal object you get a static shook from it, this is because as you've walked over to the door your shoes have rubbed against the floor and picked up an electrostatic charge. 

Static energy works because when an object is rubbed negatively charged electrons are transferred from one material to another. For example when rubbing a rod with a cloth, some of the electrons from the rod are transferred to the cloth. This gives the cloth an overall negative charge (from gaining ions) and the rod an overall positive charge (from losing ions). When the rod is then placed near a negatively charged object it will attract towards it. 

A ballon can be charged up by rubbing it againt your jumper. This allows electrons to be transferred onto the ballon (Negative…