1. Why did the balloons repel each other after they were rubbed all over with wool/silk?

When rubbing a balloon with a wool cloth, it puts negative charges on the balloon. Negative
charges attract to positive charges. They will attract each other because opposite charges attract.
On the other hand, two charged balloons repel each other. Each has a negative charge, and
charges that are the same repel one another.
2. What would have happen if the balloons were rubbed on one side only instead of all over?
Objects made of rubber, such as the balloon, are electrical insulators, meaning that they resist
electric charges flowing through them. One side part of the balloon may have a negative charge
(where the wool rubbed it) and the rest may remain neutral.
3. What happened to the ball after it was sprayed with water? Explain why.
They will fall back against each other because water conducts electricity, the moisture in humid
air serves as a natural conductor that allows charges to leave objects.
4. Does air humidity have any effect on electrical charges? Explain.
Humidity can reduce static electricity. Water conducts electricity, so humidity in the air allows
static electricity to leave objects. Higher humidity levels conduct static electricity much easier, as
there are more moisture droplets in the air.

Generalization:

Static electricity is the buildup of electrical charge in an object. This is because the rubbing creates a
negative charge that is carried by electrons. When you rub one object against another, charged particles
are transferred from one to the other. Because the electrons are on the outside of the atoms, it is these
particles which are transferred. An uncharged material has equal amounts of positive and negative
charge. A material which gains electrons becomes negatively charged. A material which loses electrons
becomes positively charged. Static electricity occurs when objects have imbalances of negative and
positive charges. When either positive or negative charges on an object become imbalanced, they build
up until they find a means of release, resulting into “shock”.

Static shocks are often noticed in cold dry weather, especially when in a centrally heated environment,
and may disappear when the weather gets more humid. Electrostatic effects seem to be more obvious in
the winter than in summer. Thus, many people choose to use a humidifier to increase air moister which
helps dissipate static charges. In addition, humidity can create thin layers of moisture on object surfaces,
which helps reduce static buildup.