Charge transfer and static electricity

Electric charge is a property of particles: protons are positive and electrons are negative. In ordinary charging of solid objects, electrons can transfer while protons remain bound in nuclei. An object that gains electrons becomes negatively charged; one that loses electrons becomes positively charged. Charge is conserved: transfer redistributes charge rather than creating it. Like charges repel and unlike charges attract.

A charged object can also attract a neutral object by shifting the neutral object’s charge distribution, a process called polarisation. Attraction alone therefore does not prove two objects have opposite net charges. Conductors allow mobile charges to redistribute readily; insulators restrict this movement. Static charge is an imbalance that can remain on an object until a discharge transfers charge through an available path.

Watch out: Ordinary static charging usually moves electrons. Losing electrons leaves an excess of positive charge.