Static electricity is the buildup of electric charge on the surface of a material. It occurs when there is an imbalance of positive and negative charges on an object, causing it to become electrically charged.
Objects become charged with static electricity through the process of friction. When two objects rub against each other, electrons can transfer from one object to another, causing one object to become positively charged and the other to become negatively charged.
The effects of static electricity on charged objects can include attraction or repulsion between objects, sparks or shocks when the charged object comes into contact with a conductor, and the ability to cause objects to cling or stick together.
Static electricity can be discharged from objects by touching them to a grounded object, such as a metal faucet or doorknob. This allows the excess charges to flow from the charged object to the ground, neutralizing the object's charge.
Static electricity has many practical applications, such as in photocopiers, where a charged drum attracts toner particles to create an image. It is also used in air filters to attract and remove dust particles from the air. Additionally, static electricity is used in some industrial processes, such as painting and printing, to control the movement of charged particles.