What is static electricity?

Static electricity is a type of energy that builds up on things that have been rubbed together. When things (like your socks) rub against each other, they can create static electricity. This energy can give you a tiny shock or can make your hair stand up!

Have you ever rubbed a balloon on your head and then stuck it to a wall? That's because the balloon picked up some static electricity from your hair. Or have you ever taken off a sweater and seen little sparks of light? That's because the static electricity in your sweater was trying to escape.

Everything is made up of tiny particles called atoms. Some of these atoms have a positive charge and some have a negative charge. When things rub together, their atoms can sometimes swap electrons, which causes an imbalance of positive and negative charges. This is what creates static electricity.

One way to see static electricity in action is to try rubbing a plastic comb on your hair. Then hold the comb near small pieces of paper. The paper will jump up and stick to the comb because it is attracted to the static electricity.

Static electricity can be useful too! For example, it's what helps your computer work. Inside your computer, there are tiny parts called microchips that need to be protected from dust and other particles. Static electricity can actually attract these particles, so computer makers use static electricity to help keep the microchips clean.

In conclusion, static electricity is a type of energy that builds up on things that have been rubbed together. It can give you a little shock, make your hair stand up, or even help keep your computer clean.