# Static electricity

Charge that builds up on an insulator when electrons are rubbed from one material to another. Like charges repel and unlike charges attract.

Physics (school) · Part 07: Mains electricity and magnetism · Card 1 of 8 · Last updated 2026-10-19

## Analogy

Rubbing a balloon on your hair: it steals electrons, so your hair stands up and the balloon sticks to the wall.

## Example

**Rubbing a rod**

Rod loses electrons: it becomes +.
Cloth gains electrons: it becomes -.
Two + rods repel.
A + rod and a - cloth attract.

## In practice

Sparks and shocks from door handles come from charge jumping to a conductor.

## Practice

### Flashcards

- **When two objects are rubbed together, what moves?** Electrons.

## Questions people ask

### Which particles move when something becomes charged?

Only electrons move. They are light and loosely held. A material that gains electrons becomes negatively charged, and one that loses electrons becomes positively charged. Protons are fixed in the nucleus of atoms and do not move, so they never transfer between rubbed objects.

### Why do charged objects attract small bits of paper?

The charged object pushes or pulls electrons within the paper, leaving the nearer side with the opposite charge. That opposite charge is attracted to the object. Because it is nearer, this attraction is stronger than the push on the far side, so the paper gets pulled in.

## Related concepts

- [Mains electricity](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/physics-school/physics-school-part-7/physics-school-part-7-concept-2)
- [Motor effect](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/physics-school/physics-school-part-7/physics-school-part-7-concept-7)
- [Electromagnetic induction](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/physics-school/physics-school-part-7/physics-school-part-7-concept-8)
- [Electric current](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/physics-school/physics-school-part-6/physics-school-part-6-concept-1)

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