A very simple and well-known method of generating static electricity is by shuffling or sliding the feet over the carpet. The body will then become charged, and if the knuckles are presented to some metallic object, such as a gas-jet or radiator, a stinging little spark will jump out to meet it.
From the author's "Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony" by permission. A Double Lightning Discharge from a Cloud to the Earth.
The electricity is produced by the friction of the feet sliding over the carpet and causes the body to become electrified.
Warm a piece of writing-paper, then lay it on a wooden table and rub it briskly with the hand. It soon will become stuck to the table and will not slide along as it did at first. If one corner is raised slightly it will tend to jump right back. If the paper is lifted off the table it will tend to cling to the hands and the clothing. If held near the face it will produce a tickling sensation. All these things happen because the paper is electrified. It is drawn to the other objects because they are neutral, that is, do not possess an electrical charge.
Fig. 19.—A Piece of Dry Writing-Paper may be Electrified by Rubbing.
All experiments with static electricity perform better in the winter time, when it is cool and clear, than in the summer. The reason is that the air in winter is drier than in summer. Summer air contains considerable moisture and water vapor. Water vapor is a partial conductor of electricity, and the surrounding air will therefore conduct the static electricity away from your apparatus almost as fast as it can be produced in the summer time.
Fig. 20.—A Surprise for the Cat.