By: Maria, Colby, Shaun, Emma ~ Static Cling~ By: Maria, Colby, Shaun, Emma ~

What is Static Cling? Static cling is a property of substances that make clothes cling to each other because of the different electrical charges(+/-). When the conditions are dry and two different kinds of materials come in contact with each other, sometimes there is an exchange of electrons between the two materials. This exchanges electrons to leave one material with a positive charge and the other with a negative charge.

How is static cling caused? Static cling occurs from static electricity, which happens when clothes are rubbing together in a clothes dryer. Which can be called “the triboelectric effect”. It is most noticeable when humidity is low, causing static electricity to build up. Friction can be caused between two different materials as they come in contact with each other. The electrons in one material will tend to attract to the electrons in the other material to balance their atoms. The substance that loses the electrons becomes negatively charged and the substance that gains the electrons gets positively charged. This transferring of electrons creates static electricity. As negative and positive charges attract to each other, the two materials will stick to one another which is causing static cling.

How do "bounce" tissue and dryer balls work to decrease the static cling? Dryer tissue work by giving off fabric softener while in the dryer because the fabric softener will balance the electrons with the positive ions in the fabric softener with the electrons that have been transferred on to the clothes in the dryer. when clothes are in the dryer they rub against each other and will lose or gain electrons and opposite charges attract so if a shirt has a negative charge and a sock have a positive then they will stick together.