Umair Gaines
Electricity is a form of energy that is created by the movement of electrons between two points with a potential difference. This movement of electrons is what we call an electric current. Electrons are the negatively charged particles that orbit the positively charged protons at the core of atoms. When there is a potential difference, electrons can move from one atom to another, creating a current. This current is what we harness to power our homes and appliances. While electricity is present in nature, it is difficult to store, so we rely on power plants to produce the electricity we use daily.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cause | Conversion of other forms of energy to electricity |
| Sources | Fossil fuels, nuclear power, renewable sources |
| Fossil fuels | Coal, oil, natural gas |
| Nuclear power | Nuclear fission |
| Renewable sources | Wind, hydropower, solar power, biomass, geothermal |
| Electricity generation in 2022 | 2.4% increase from the previous year |
| Global electricity generation in 2017 | 64.5% from fossil fuels, 16% from hydropower, 10.5% from nuclear power |
| Largest source of electricity production | Coal, followed by gas |
| Largest source of carbon dioxide emissions | Power generation |
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What You'll Learn
Electric charge and conduction
In a neutral atom, the number of electrons and protons is balanced, with the electrons orbiting the central nucleus composed of protons and neutrons. However, when electrons move from one atom to another, the atoms can become charged. This movement of electrons creates electricity, and the number of electrons moving in an electrical circuit is known as amperage or current, measured in amps.
Conduction is the process by which electric charge is transferred between objects. It occurs when a charged object comes into contact with a neutral object, causing the neutral object to take on the same charge. For example, if a negatively charged object touches a neutral object, electrons will transfer from the negative object to the neutral one, making it negative as well. This process is permanent as the electrons stay on the newly charged object until it is grounded. Metals are good conductors of electricity due to their structure, which allows electrons to move freely.
Charging by conduction can be observed in everyday life. For instance, when you walk across a carpet, electrons may transfer from the carpet to you, giving you a net negative charge. If you then touch a doorknob, the excess electrons will move from you to the knob, resulting in a static electric shock.
It is important to distinguish between conduction and induction. While conduction involves direct contact between charged and neutral objects, induction creates a temporary charge in a neutral object without any contact. When a charged object is brought close to a neutral object, the electrons in the neutral object are repelled and move away, leaving the side closest to the charged object positively charged. However, since no electrons are transferred, the neutrality of the object returns once the charged object is removed.
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Static electricity
The main cause of electricity is the existence of charged particles, such as electrons or protons, either statically as an accumulation of charge or dynamically as a current. The movement of electrons creates electricity. Electrons transmit an electrical charge through solid matter (such as metal) to produce an electrical current.
The triboelectric effect is the main cause of static electricity. When two materials are in contact, electrons may move from one material to the other, which leaves an excess of positive charge on one material and an equal negative charge on the other. When the materials are separated, they retain this charge imbalance. It is also possible for ions to be transferred. Electrons or ions can be exchanged between materials when they slide against each other.
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Renewable energy sources
Electricity is a form of energy that comes from charged particles like electrons and protons. These charged particles can be static or dynamic. Electricity is a secondary energy source, meaning it is converted from another (primary) source of energy, such as coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear, or renewable sources.
- Wind Power: Wind energy has been used for millennia, but onshore and offshore wind energy technologies have evolved in recent years to maximize electricity production. Wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of spinning blades into electric energy. The world's technical potential for wind energy exceeds global electricity production, and ample potential exists in most regions of the world to enable significant wind energy deployment.
- Solar Power: Sunlight is one of the most freely available energy resources on the planet. Solar power generates electricity by capturing sunlight on solar panels in a joint chemical and physical reaction known as the photovoltaic effect (PV). Solar energy can even be harnessed in cloudy weather.
- Hydropower: Hydropower is the largest source of renewable energy in the electricity sector. It relies on generally stable rainfall patterns to generate electricity. However, it can be negatively impacted by climate-induced droughts or changes to ecosystems that affect rainfall patterns. Small-scale hydro is considered more environmentally friendly and suitable for remote communities.
- Bioenergy: Bioenergy is derived from burning organic matter, such as plants, timber, or food waste, as fuel. While it emits carbon dioxide (CO2), these fuel sources are considered renewable because they can be regrown and absorb as much carbon as they emit over their lifespans. However, bioenergy should be used in limited applications due to potential negative environmental impacts related to deforestation and land-use changes.
- Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy utilizes the thermal energy from the Earth's interior.
By transitioning from non-renewable energy sources like fossil fuels to these renewable alternatives, we can reduce our dependence on finite resources and mitigate the emission of harmful greenhouse gases.
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Non-renewable energy sources
Electricity is a form of energy that comes from charged particles (such as electrons or protons). It can be generated from both renewable and non-renewable energy sources. Non-renewable energy sources are those that will eventually run out and cannot naturally replenish themselves. They are limited in supply and cannot be used sustainably.
One of the major non-renewable energy sources used to generate electricity is coal, a solid fossil fuel that is used for heating homes and power plants. Coal is burned to generate electricity, leaving valuable by-products used to make cement, plastics, and roads. Coal is a reliable source of energy, but mining is dangerous work, and burning coal releases toxic gases and pollutants into the atmosphere.
Another non-renewable energy source is petroleum, a liquid fossil fuel. Crude oil, or petroleum, is the most common petroleum product consumed in the United States, but petroleum liquids can also be made from natural gas and coal.
Natural gas is another fossil fuel that is often grouped with oil and coal. Natural gas is found in underground layers of rock and sediment and is formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals.
Nuclear energy is also considered a non-renewable energy source, although nuclear energy itself is renewable. The material used in nuclear power plants, such as uranium, is non-renewable. Nuclear power plants control nuclear fission to produce electricity. Uranium is a rare non-renewable resource, and nuclear energy is a popular way of generating electricity around the world.
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The movement of electrons
Electrons are critical to the workings of electricity. In its most stable, balanced state, an atom will have the same number of electrons as protons, resulting in a "neutral" atom. However, by rubbing objects together, you can cause electrons to shift from one atom to another, resulting in atoms with an unequal number of protons and electrons, and thus a positive or negative charge. This is known as static electricity.
Electricity can be generated from a wide variety of energy sources, both renewable and non-renewable. For example, solar panels produce electrons which, when they move, create a flow of electricity. Hydropower is another example of a renewable energy source, where the force of moving water is harnessed to produce electricity.
The process by which electric current passes through a material is called electrical conduction, and its nature varies depending on the charged particles and the material through which they are travelling. For example, metallic conduction involves electrons flowing through a metal conductor, while electrolysis involves ions (charged atoms) flowing through liquids or plasmas.
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Frequently asked questions
Electricity is a type of energy that results from the movement of electrons between two points when there is a potential difference between them. This movement of electrons creates an electric current.
The movement of electrons causes electricity. Electrons transmit an electrical charge through solid matter, such as metal, to produce an electrical current.
Electrons are electrically charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. Electrons have a negative charge, while protons, another particle that makes up an atom, have a positive charge.
When there is a potential difference between two points, electrons move between them, creating an electric current. This movement of electrons is electricity.
Electricity is a natural phenomenon that occurs in lightning and thunderstorms. Static electricity is also an example of electricity in nature, which can occur when you walk across a carpet and then touch a doorknob.
