Static electricity is a stationary electrical charge that builds up on the surface of materials. It is caused by an imbalance of electric charges, with materials becoming positively or negatively charged through triboelectric effects. Some key points: - Rubbing certain materials like plastic or wool can cause the transfer or loss of electrons, leaving one material positively charged and the other negatively charged. - Insulators resist the flow of electric charges while conductors allow charges to flow easily, which is why conductors cannot build up or maintain a static electric charge. - Induction occurs when a charged object placed near a neutral conductor causes the separation of the conductor's own charges, producing positive and negative poles. - Grounding refers