Static electricity

[Urban Ranger]

How does electric charge accumlate on the surface of an insulator? what is the physical explanation? What's this "surface imbalance" thing?

[Ecthy]

[Japher]

[Sava]

[DrS]

I know that two different insulators held together will transfer surface ions or just electrons. The electrons tunnel because it's slightly more energetically favorable for them to be on one material than the other. The surface ions I'm guessing, break off of one and stick to the other via VanDerWaals.

I don't know if two insulators of the same material can also develop a static charge.

[MMC]

Protons and Electrons act in exactly the same way as north and south poles on a magnet... Opposite charges attract, and like charges repel. It's that simple. However, the Protons are tied into the material and can't move, whereas the Electrons can, which is why the process is a form of electric current.

[DrS]

They're similar, but I wouldn't say that they're the same. For example, there are no magnetic monopoles, so you cannot have an excess of 'northness' on a material.

I think his question is more along the lines of 'why would charge transfer from one electrically neutral dielectric to another'.

I'm still not sure if static charge could build up between two identical materials. Anyone have an idea? I'd guess no.

[Urban Ranger]

How do electrons move around inside a dielectric, though?

[DrS]

Tunneling.