Static Electricity: Why Balloons Stick to Walls

Rubbing a balloon on your hair transfers electrons, giving the balloon a negative charge.
Your hair loses electrons, leaving it positively charged and making strands stand up.
A charged balloon polarizes the wall—shifting charges inside it without changing the wall overall.
The wall’s surface atoms rearrange slightly, attracting the negatively charged balloon.
This invisible force is the electrostatic attraction between opposite charges.
Even non-metal walls can hold a balloon briefly because charges shift at the atomic level.
Humid air reduces the effect, as water molecules carry away charges.
In dry air, static charges last longer, making balloons cling more effectively.
The same principle explains why clothes sometimes stick together fresh from the dryer.
Static electricity is harmless here—but in industry, it can spark and cause big problems.