What is Static electricity?
{{nosources|date=July 2010}} [[File:Lightning strike jan 2007.jpg|thumb|Lightning, one example of static discharge]] '''Static electricity''' means the increase of [[electric charge]] on the [[surface]] of objects. This electric charge remains on an object until it either flows into the ground, or loses its charge quickly by a discharge. Charge exchange can happen in conditions like when different objects are rubbed and separated. A static charge will only remain when one of the surfaces has a high resistance to electrical flow. The effects of static electricity are familiar to most people because they can see, feel and even hear the spark. This spark happens when the excess charge is neutralized. This neutralization occurs when excess charge flows into an [[electrical conductor]] (for example a path to ground). Other charge flow occurs when a charged object is near a region with an excess charge of the opposite [[polarity]] (positive or negative). The familiar [[phenomenon]] of a static 'shock' is caused by the neutralization of charge. == History == In Greek age, [[Thales]] found static electricity when he was cleaning his [[amber]]. But at that time, they did not pay attention to this and research it. They just knew that rubbing something made a pulling force. Earnest research into static electricity was started in the 17th century, when [[Otto von Guericke|Otto Von Guericke]] made the first [[friction]] generator. And in the 18th century, [[Coulomb]] started research into a fixed quantity of static electricity. [[Benjamin Franklin]] associated static electricity with storms. In 1832 [[Michael Faraday]] published the results of his experiment on the identity of electricity. This report proved that the electricity made by using a [[magnet]], [[voltaic electricity]] produced by a battery, and static electricity are all the same. Since Faraday's result, the history of static electricity can be thought as the study of electricity in general. ==Charge== Many situations can cause static electricity. # Contact mak