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 Static Electricity

Rubbing the surface of a material with another material can make it have an electric charge.

If you rub two balloons with a piece of woollen cloth, they will repel each other.

 
 
 
You can tear some tissue paper into small pieces.

 
 
 
Now rub a glass rod with a piece of silk. Now bring the rod near to the tissue paper and notice what happens.

 
 
 
Rubbing the glass rod with the silk makes it lose electrons, so it becomes positively charged. The silk gains electrons and becomes negatively charged. The neutral tissue paper is attracted by the rod.