Asked by: Bill Henden, by email
Clingfilm is either made from PVC or low density polyethylene that's treated to make it stretch.
When you unroll the clingfilm, some of the electrons on the surface of one layer get pulled away onto the adjacent layer. This creates patches of positive and negative electrostatic charge. Because clingfilm is a good insulator, this charge persists for quite a while. When you wrap the clingfilm around itself or another insulator (like glass) the electrostatic charge induces an opposite charge in the other surface and the two stick together.
If you try this on a conductor, like metal, it won't stick because the charge is dispersed.
Read more:
- Is plastic money cleaner than paper money?
- Can plastic bottles be reused in the way glass bottles were in the past?
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