Where does the charge from static electricity come from?
Rubbing two suitable materials can leave them with different net charges. The charge has been redistributed rather than created, helping explain why an everyday contact can lead to an unexpected attraction or spark.
Questions you could explore
- How can transferring electrons leave one material positive and the other negative?
- What does charge conservation require of the pair?
Start reading
- OpenStax, Rice University18.1 Static Electricity and Charge: Conservation of Charge
OpenStax introduces charge transfer and conservation; its elementary model is a starting point, not every detail of contact electrification.
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