What causes static electricity?

Question

what causes static electricity

(why does your hair stand after rubbing it with a baloon?

Answer 1

Yes, to the build up of positive and negetive charges and I would like to add ....on the surface of an insulator.

Answer 2

Electrons from the balloon move to the balloon from your hair giving your hair a positive charge and the balloon a negative charge. Opposite charges attract, so your hair stands up towards the balloon.

Answer 3

Ionization: the stripping away of electrons from atoms by the application of force/energy. This causes the build up of positive and negative charges, also referred to as static electricity.