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Why does our hair stick to a balloon when it rubs against it?

Rubbing a balloon on your hair changes electric charge, so the hair gets pulled towards the balloon.

Everything is made of tiny bits called atoms. Inside atoms there are even tinier bits called electrons, and they have a negative charge. When you rub a balloon on your hair, some electrons move from your hair onto the balloon. This makes the balloon negatively charged, and your hair becomes positively charged because it is missing electrons.

Opposite charges pull towards each other. Since the balloon is negative and your hair is positive, they are pulled towards one another. That is why your hair stands up and seems to stick to the balloon.

This is called static electricity. It's the same reason you hear a little crackling sound when you take off a sweater in winter.

Quick facts

When a balloon rubs on hair, electrons move from the hair to the balloon.
An electron is a very tiny particle with a negative charge.
The balloon becomes negatively charged, and the hair becomes positively charged.
Opposite charges pull towards each other, which is why the hair sticks to the balloon.
This is called static electricity.

Check what you remember

3 questions — all of them come from the quick facts above. There is no score and no wrong turn.

1. What moves from your hair to the balloon when it rubs against your hair?

2. How do opposite charges affect each other?

3. What is it called when a balloon rubbing on hair causes this effect?

Where this comes from

1 tr.wikipedia.org 85/100
Static Electricity - Wikipedia
Explains what static electricity is in a simple way.
2 tr.wikipedia.org 80/100
Electron - Wikipedia
Explains what an electron is and its charge.
3 nasa.gov 60/100
NASA
Has interesting facts about electricity and energy.

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Static Electricity

When two objects rub against each other, electric charges can move from one to the other. This is called static electricity. Lightning is actually a giant burst of static electricity too.

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Atoms and Electrons

Everything is made of atoms. Inside an atom there are electrons, which have a negative charge. Electrons can move from one surface to another.

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Opposite Charges Attract

A positive charge and a negative charge pull towards each other. Charges that are the same push each other away. This rule is true for all electrically charged things.

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