Electric charge is the physical property of matter that causes it to experience a force when placed in an electromagnetic field. There are two types of electric charges: positive and negative. Positively charged particles are attracted to negatively charged particles, while negatively charged particles are attracted to positively charged particles. The force between charges is called electrostatic force.
Charged objects can attract or repel each other. Opposite charges attract each other, while like charges repel each other. When you rub certain materials together, they can become electrically charged by transferring electrons from one material to another (called friction). For example, if you rub a balloon on your hair, the balloon becomes positively charged by taking electrons from your hair; as a result, it will be attracted to your head (which has more electrons than usual).
Some common everyday examples of static electricity include lightning during thunderstorms; sparks when taking off a sweater; zapping someone with static electricity from shuffling feet on carpeting; and attracting lint or dust with a statically charged object such as a balloon.