It's happened to the best of us. You're causally walking along, maybe dragging your feet a little, when you reach out to tap a friend on the shoulder and -- ZAP! Both you and your friend get shocked. The culprit is static electricity, a buildup of charged electrons.
Electrons are a part of all atoms, the building blocks of all stuff, even you. All electrons have a negative charge. Negatively charged electrons don't like to be close to other negatively charged electrons. Remember that like charges repel each other. When electrons build up in one area, a charge builds up, and it's just waiting to be released. This buildup of charge is called static electricity.
Charges can jump around between things, especially when things are rubbed together. When you drag your feet on the carpet, electrons from the carpet jump onto you. As the charge builds up, the electrons get too close to each other, and they need a place to escape. They get their chance when you touch something or someone else. The electrons jump onto your pal, making both of you jump at the electric shock.
After reading this excerpt, please answer the following open response question.
