Static electricity refers to the build-up of electric charge on the surface of materials. Materials are made of atoms and normally are electrically neutral by having an equal number of positive and negative charges (proton and electron).
The phenomenon of static electricity occurs when the negative and positive ions imbalance has place to be. This imbalance happens when two materials (atoms) being in contact gain or lose electrons which may move easily between them. Electrons leave an excess of positive charge on one material, and an equal negative charge on the other. When the materials are separated they retain this charge imbalance.
The static charges remain on an object until they either bleed off to ground or are quickly neutralized by a discharge.
