Static Electricity

- Static electricity is caused by

atoms rubbing together and
exchanging electrons.
- Atoms can only exchange
electrons because protons are
found in the nucleus
- Protons have positive charges,
neutrons have neutral charges,
and electrons have negative
charges
- The charge of one proton
(positive) is equal to the charge
of one electron (negative)

- Opposites will always attract to

try and balance the charge of an
atom
- If you rub a balloon on your hair,
it will pick up extra electrons
and therefore have a negative
charge
- When we charge something with
static electricity we are not
creating or destroying protons
or electrons, only transferring
them
- The principle of conservation of
charge:

No electrons or protons can be

destroyed or created, only
exchanged
- In the balloon experiment, the
balloon was taking on a negative
charge and attracted to objects
with a positive or neutral charge
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