It always happens. You touch a person and they get a shock or even a spark. The same thing happens when you touch an object. It's quite common, but why does it happen? This harmless but annoying phenomenon is a product of static electricity and has a technical name: the triboelectric effect. It occurs when protons (positive charge) and electrons (negative charge) become unbalanced. Normally, the number of both is the same in the atom, which is known as neutral charge. But if there is more of one of the two, a friction known as static electricity occurs. That shock we feel when we touch something or someone occurs when a current of electrons passes through a positively charged object with the aim of restoring balance. What materials 'give shocks'? Some materials are more prone to this phenomenon, such as wool, nylon, polyester, human hair, and pet hair. Another classic is shoe soles, especially rubber ones, which insulate us from the ground and therefore make us more likely to get an electric shock. Wearing leather soles or clothing made of materials less prone to negative charges will help us avoid that unpleasant shock when we touch someone.
