Building Up Charge
Some atoms hold their electrons more tightly than other atoms.
For example, atoms in your shoes hold their electrons more tightly than atoms in the carpet.
As you walk on carpet, some electrons that are loosely held by the atoms in the carpet are transferred to your shoes.
Your shoes gain electrons and then have more electrons taht protons. Because your shoes have an excess of negative charge, your shoes are said to be negativly charged.
The carpet loses electrons and has more protons than electrons. Because the carpet has an excess of positive charge, it is positively charged.
This is an example of static electricity.
Static Electricity is the accumulation of excess electric charges on an object. Can you think of other examples of static electricity?
