Where did the word electricity come from and why does it matter to you? What is an electric current? How is it used? Why is it dangerous? These are just some questions that a beginner electrician might ask when he is considering becoming familiar with electricity.
An electric current is a measurement of how much electrical charge passes through any given wire at a given time, over a period of time. In direct current electricity is characterized by the movement of positively charged electrons through a conductive piece of wire at a high rate of speed. In alternating current (also called’alternating current ‘) the movement of negatively charged electrons through a similar conductor is alternately slow and fast; the total amount of charges produced is also alternatingly changing.
In order to understand how electricity is produced we need to know what causes it to pass through a wire. When electricity is created by an electric current, one end of the conductor is heated so that it becomes hot enough to pass through the other end. The difference in temperature between the two ends of the circuit is called the’resistance’. Electrical resistance is measured in units called’amps’for this purpose. You can find the amperage rating of a circuit by multiplying the Ohm’s values (I’m not sure why people use’ohms’ when referring to resistivity – it doesn’t have anything to do with the’impedance’ I’m talking about) with the volts per hour.
There are many types of electricity: electromagnetic, static, electric and magnetic. Electromagnetic currents are those that move faster than the speed of light. They are often used in things such as computer motors and lighting systems. Static currents occur when an object absorbs some of its energy and returns it back to its location, creating a change in its surroundings.
Let’s take the mechanics of an electric current. When an electron is struck by an electric current it gives up its electrons. These electrons travel from point A to point B but because some of them strike another surface they emit free electrons. If these free electrons strike an area that is already occupied by an opposite electrode, this will cause the existing flow of charge to be rerouted. The flow of charge will now be along the new path that has been freed up.
One of the most common types of electric current is the positive charge current which occurs in things like a battery and flashlight. A charge usually created within a battery, it is the result of an outside force pushing on the battery’s positive side. This can create an electrical charge even when the battery’s power is turned off. This positive charge is what powers your cell phone. The negative charge is what you use against it.
In his book, The Little Engine That Could, Luigi Galvani describes an experiment in which he shows how electricity can be produced in ways that don’t need external sources. His demonstration is simple, although some people have disputed his explanation. It involves using a static electricity made by touching two conductors with your tongue, covering your mouth and then breathing on one of them, this creates a discharge in the other conductor.
There are several theories which explain how electricity could be produced using natural phenomena. The theory that I am referring to is the Faraday Law which states that electric fields formed by objects with enough mass will surround them and generate a measurable amount of electric current. There are a number of other similar theories. In my research I have found that the best explanation is due to the interaction between electromagnetic fields and the space-time continuum. This research involved using a Faraday cage and the effects of static electricity made by walking through a conducting grid into a Faraday generator.