Electricity is all around us and it’s a very important concept in science but is often misunderstood. Here is the definition of what electricity really is:
It is a type of energy resulting from an electric charge flow. Energy can be defined as something capable of work or applying force onto an object to make it move. For electricity, the power is the attraction or repulsion that occurs between charged particles.
If you have electricity, it can be either in the form of kinetic or potential. It is most commonly experienced in the form of potential, such as stored energy from the position of charged particles.
The movement of charged particles is what we call electricity. Another form is static electricity. This occurs because of an imbalance between the positive and negative charge of an object. It is a form of potential energy as well. If there is enough of the accumulated energy it can be discharged in the form of a spark, like lightning, for example. When this happens, the potential energy has been transformed into kinetic energy. For any electrical issues in your home, always be sure to use a qualified Electrician Essex like Electrician Essex SM Eectrical
How does it work?
It was Michael Faraday, a British scientist who discovered a way to produce electricity in the early 19th century. Experiments involved moving a conductive metal loop through magnetic poles. What he was able to prove is that the electrons in copper wire move freely and all electrons carry a negative charge.
This movement is controlled by attractive forces between the positive charge and the electrons, while the repulsive force occurring between negatively charged electrons and ions. Simply put, the electric field around the charged particles, such as electrons, puts the force on the other charged particles, making it move and work.
As long as a particle is charged, it can produce electrical energy, whether it is the electrons, protons, positive or negative ions, positrons or atomic nuclei.
Where is it used?
This energy is what we use to power our appliances. Every time we turn on a light bulb or power up the television, this is an example of potential energy turning into electrical energy. The potential energy becomes a different sort of energy, such as heat, light, kinetic and mechanical example.
A further example of electrical energy is found in the battery. With the battery, the energy source will come from ions in solution than the electrons in the metal.
We can even find an example of electric energy in the human body itself. Electrons, ions and hydrogen ions are found in high concentrations on one side of the membrane, creating an electrical potential that is used for processes such as moving materials around the body, nerve impulses and muscle movement.
Some examples of electric energy are:
battery
alternating Current (AC)
direct current (DC)
lightning
the energy generated by an electric eel
capacitors
It’s important to remember that a moving charged particle, electron, ion or proton always generates a magnetic field. Also, when changing the magnetic field, an electric current will always be produced in a conductor, such as copper wire. For this reason, they often call the study of electricity electromagnetism because they are always linked.