Final answer:
An object becomes positively charged when it loses negatively charged electrons, leading to an imbalance because the number of protons, which stay in the nucleus, remains unchanged. Static electricity is a common way for this electron loss and positive charge to occur.
Step-by-step explanation:
An object becomes positively charged when it loses electrons, which are negatively charged.
Since protons are fixed in the nucleus of an atom and do not move within a solid, the movement of electrons is key to creating static electricity.
When an excess of electrons is removed from an object, the imbalance between the number of protons (which remain unchanged) and electrons results in a positive charge.
An atom normally has an equal number of protons and electrons, leading to no net charge.
However, if some electrons are stripped away, perhaps by friction or contact with another object, the atom will have a net positive charge due to the stable number of positively charged protons in the nucleus that do not move as easily as electrons.
This process of electrons moving from one object to another is often referred to as static electricity.