How does static electricity affect salt and pepper?

Static electricity results from an imbalance of electrical charges within or on the surface of a material. When a charged object comes into proximity with small particles like salt and pepper, it induces a reaction based on the electrical charge.

In the case of option C, static electricity can indeed cause salt and pepper to cling to a charged object. The charged object, such as a balloon rubbed against hair, becomes positively or negatively charged. When salt and pepper, being made of ionic compounds, are near this charged object, they are attracted to it due to the difference in electrical charge. This clinging effect can be observed in practical demonstrations where these spices seemingly "jump" towards the charged surface.

The other options do not accurately describe the behavior of salt and pepper under the influence of static electricity. For instance, dissolving in water is unrelated to static charge but rather pertains to the solubility of the substances in a solvent. The idea that static electricity could cause salt and pepper to repel each other does not align with the nature of their ionic characteristics, which typically results in attraction to charged objects. Lastly, stating that static electricity has no impact on their behavior ignores the observable effects seen in everyday examples where charge causes attraction between small particles and charged surfaces.