Rubbing your hand on a surface of a material that is non-conductive like for example rubber or certain plastic/clothes can result in you getting a shock when touching metal or another person afterwards. How does this work?
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While the cause of triboelectric effect is correctly identified as being unknown, the reason this occurs with poorly conducting materials and not good conductors is that charges are relatively immobile in an insulator. With a metal (or other good conductor) the excess charge will be quickly and easily carted away. With an insulator (poor conductor) the charge will get trapped because it has a hard time moving.
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