In the Mind Museum, there are many wondrous and amazing showcases of science

and technology, of history and biology, of physics and chemistry. One of those that
caught my eye, and is relevant to our topics in physics class nowadays is the Van de
Graaff generator.
The Van de Graaff generator creates hundreds to thousands of volts. Despite this, it
is not dangerous because the currents created are so small. But how does it work?
Inside the Van de Graaff generator, there is a pulley which drives an insulating belt
against two sharp metal combs. The first metal comb, located at the base, is given
a positive charge by a power supply. This comb is in charge of removing electrons
from the belt, maintaining the belts positive charge. The second comb is connected
to the dome at the top of the Van Graaff generator. This comb allows the positive
charges to spread to the surface of the dome. But why is it that when someone puts
their hand against the dome, their hair stands on end?
This is because, like I said earlier, the Van de Graaff generator creates hundreds to
thousands of volts, specifically static electricity. Static electricity is made from extra
charges stored some place so that they can move. Since charges dont usually like
to collect in one place, they like to find opposite charges as partners and run away
from particles similar to them. Since our bodies are highly charged, everything that
makes up our body balances itself. Our hair on the other hand, does not have much
mass nor surface area, so their force of repulsion is sufficient enough to make each
strand separate when the positive charges, which flow from the persons hand to
their hair, repel each other.
But why do the charges flow through us? This is because our bodies are conductors.
A conductor is a material that allows electricity to flow through it. Our bodies also
conduct electricity, thats why the positive charges from the Van de Graaff
generator can flow through our bodies.

References:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/vandeg.html
http://uw.physics.wisc.edu/~wonders/DemoVdG.html
http://eec.electricuniverse.com/your-body-is-a-conductor.html