 the triboelectric effect (also known as triboelectric charging) is a type of contact electrification in which certain materials become electrically charged after they come into frictive contact with a different material. rubbing glass with fur, or a comb through the hair, can build up triboelectricity. most everyday static electricity is triboelectric. the polarity and strength of the charges produced differ according to the materials, surface roughness, temperature, strain, and other properties. the triboelectric effect is not very predictable, and only broad generalizations can be made. amber, for example, can acquire an electric charge by contact and separation (or friction) with a material like wool. this property, first recorded by thales of miletus, suggested the word "electricity" (from william gilbert's initial coinage, "electra"), from the greek word for amber, . the prefix  (greek for ârubâ) refers to âfrictionâ, as in tribology. other examples of materials that can acquire a significant charge when rubbed together include glass rubbed with silk, and hard rubber rubbed with fur. ==triboelectric series== {| class="infobox" background-color: #ddddd |- | triboelectric series: |- | most positively charged |- | + |- | polyurethane foam |- | hair, oily skin |- | nylon, dry skin |- | glass |- | acrylic, lucite |- | leather |- | rabbit's fur |- | quartz |- | mica |- | lead |- | cat's fur |- | silk |- | aluminium |- | paper (small positive charge) |- | cotton |- | wool (no charge) |- | 0 |- | steel (no charge) |- | wood (small negative charge) |- | amber |- | sealing wax |- | polystyrene |- | rubber balloon |- | resins |- | hard rubber |- | nickel, copper |- | sulfur |- | brass, silver |- | gold, platinum |- | acetate, rayon |- | synthetic rubber |- | polyester |- | styrene and polystyrene |- | orlon |- | plastic wrap |- | polyethylene (like scotch tape) |- | polypropylene |- | vinyl (pvc) |- | silicon |- | teflon |- | silicone rubber |- | ebonite |- | â |- | most negatively charged |- |} john carl wilcke published the first triboelectric series in a 1757 paper on static charges.http://owlsmag.wordpress.com/2010/01/20/a-natural-history-devin-corbin/ disputatio physica experimentalis, de electricitatibus contrariis... typis ioannis iacobi adleri, 1757. materials are often listed in order of the po
Electrical_phenomena Electricity Electrostatics