What is the term for the static buildup of charged particles on an object's surface?

The term that describes the static buildup of charged particles on an object's surface is static electricity. Static electricity occurs when there is an imbalance of electric charge within or on the surface of a material, causing it to become electrically charged. This can happen through various processes, such as friction, where electrons are transferred from one material to another, leading to the accumulation of charges.

In contrast, capacitance refers to the ability of a system to store electric charge, which is not the same as the buildup of charge itself. An electric field describes the influence that a charged object exerts on other charges in its vicinity, rather than the accumulation of charge on a surface. Induction refers to the process by which a charged object can cause redistribution of charge in another object without direct contact, which does not describe the situation of static charge accumulation. Thus, static electricity is the best term to capture the idea of charged particles being held on an object's surface.