Electricity 101

An Introduction to Electricity

• Lightning is a natural form of electricity, created by electric charges in the atmosphere.
• Electricity is created when electrons move from one atom to another, producing an electric current.
• Direct current (DC) is the power that comes from batteries, fuel cells, and solar cells, and flows in a loop from the positive to the negative side.
• Alternating current (AC) is an electric current that reverses direction many times a second, and is used by power plants to provide electricity to homes and businesses.
• Transformers are used to make sure that the right amount of power is going to your home, and prevent circuits from blowing or appliances from malfunctioning.
• Power plants use different kinds of fuel to produce electricity, such as coal, biomass, petroleum, natural gas, nuclear fission, geothermal heat, and wind or moving water.
• Magnets can also be used to create electricity, as they can move electrons in a coil of copper wire inside a generator.
• Static electricity is another type of electricity, created when electrons move from one place to another, such as when rubbing a balloon on hair or walking on carpet.
• Conductors are materials that allow electricity to flow through them, while insulators block or prevent the flow of electricity, such as plastic, glass, porcelain, or rubber.
• Electrical wires are covered in plastic or rubber coating to prevent electric current from traveling into other objects or people.
• Electricity was not invented by anyone, but has been known and experimented with for thousands of years, such as by Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century.
• Learning about electricity is fascinating and important, as it powers most of the devices and appliances we use in our daily lives.