How does static electricity arise?

What causes something to become static? In winter, my hair always gets static. How does static happen, and why is it worst in winter?

Things become static when they give off electrons to or receive electrons from other materials, thus becoming electrically charged. For example, hair acquires a positive charge when you pull a wool sweater over your head because the hair gives off electrons.

Positive charges repel each other, causing your hairs to stand apart to escape each other. Your hands always give off electrons when you touch something. As a result, you get a shock when you open a car door, for example, because electrons from the door jump over to your hand.

Humid air reduces static electricity

Materials are susceptible to giving off electrons to varying degrees. If you iron a wool sweater along glass, the sweater receives electrons from the glass and becomes negatively charged. But if you iron the sweater along polyester or plastic, the sweater gives off electrons and becomes positively charged.

Water conducts electrons well, and therefore there is less static electricity when there is a lot of moisture in the air. In winter, humidity is often low, so things get static faster.

This is how static electricity is created

1: Some materials, such as wool and plastic, lose or receive electrons easily, making the material static.

2: A balloon and a wool sweater brush past each other. The plastic steals electrons from the wool, and the balloon becomes negatively charged while the sweater becomes positively charged.

3: The excess electrons on the surface of the balloon repel electrons onto the wall. The positive particles - protons - in the material of the wall attract the balloon, as positive and negative attract each other.

Preventing static electricity

Do you suffer a lot from static electricity in the winter? Then consider a humidifier to increase the humidity in your home, this will make the electrons conduct less.