How Electricity Works | Electricity Explained Simply | Current vs Voltage |

Summary

This script delves into the fundamental forces of our universe, focusing on the electric force and its role in generating electricity. It explains the atomic structure, the significance of protons, neutrons, and electrons, and how their interactions create charged atoms or ions. The script further explores conductors and insulators, the movement of electrons as electricity, and the concept of electric current and voltage. It uses analogies like water flow and gravitational potential to elucidate current and voltage, concluding with the importance of safety in handling electricity and the potential for human advancement through its proper use.

Takeaways

• 🔬 Atoms are composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons, with protons and electrons carrying opposite charges.
• 🌐 The number of protons in an atom determines its element, and a stable atom has an equal number of protons and electrons.
• 💡 Electricity is generated by the movement of electrons, which can be influenced by external forces like those from a battery.
• 🔋 Conductors, such as metals, allow electrons to move freely, while insulators like plastic, rubber, and glass prevent electron flow.
• ⚡ The transfer of electrons between objects can create static electricity, as seen when walking on a carpet and touching a metal object.
• 🔌 A simple electric circuit consists of a power source like a battery, a conductor like copper wire, and a load like a light bulb.
• 💡 The light bulb glows due to the resistance in the filament, which heats up and emits light as electrons are forced to move through it.
• ⚡ Electric current is measured in amperes and represents the rate of electron flow through a conductor.
• 🔋 Voltage, or electric potential difference, is the force that pushes electrons through a conductor, and it directly affects the current.
• ⚠ High voltage can cause wires to overheat and potentially lead to damage or fire, emphasizing the importance of using wires with appropriate thickness.
• 🌐 Proper handling and understanding of electricity are crucial for safety and for harnessing its potential for advancing civilization.

Q & A

What are the four fundamental forces of the universe?

The four fundamental forces of the universe include gravitational force and electric force, among others. The script does not list all four, but it emphasizes the role of the electric force in generating and using electricity.

How does the number of protons in an atom determine its properties?

The number of protons in an atom, known as the atomic number, determines the type of element. For instance, an atom with one proton is hydrogen, and an atom with six protons is carbon.

What is the role of electrons in the context of electricity?

Electrons play a crucial role in electricity as they are the charged particles that move when an electric force is applied, creating an electric current.

Why are some materials called conductors?

Materials like metals, including copper and silver, are called conductors because they can easily remove electrons with enough force, allowing the flow of electric current.

What are insulators and why are they important?

Insulators are materials that hold their electrons very tightly and do not share them with nearby atoms, preventing the flow of electrons. They are important because they help control the flow of electricity and prevent electrical accidents.

How does friction between two objects lead to electron transfer?

When two objects are rubbed together or even come into simple contact, electrons can be transferred from one object to another due to the difference in their ability to hold onto electrons.

What is the function of a battery in an electric circuit?

A battery in an electric circuit acts as an external force, creating an electric potential difference that pushes electrons through a conductor, thus creating an electric current.

How does a light bulb work when connected to an electric circuit?

A light bulb contains a thin filament, usually made of tungsten, which has some resistance. When an electric current passes through it, the resistance causes the filament to heat up and glow, producing light.

What is electric current and how is it measured?

Electric current is the flow of electrons past a point in a conductor within an electric circuit. It is measured in amperes, with one ampere being equivalent to one coulomb of charge passing a point per second.

How is voltage related to the flow of electric current?

Voltage, or electric potential difference, is the force that pushes electrons through a conductor. The higher the voltage, the greater the flow of electric current; conversely, lower voltage results in less current.

Why is it important to use wires of appropriate thickness for a given voltage?

Using wires of appropriate thickness for a given voltage is crucial because too high a voltage can cause the atoms in a thin wire to vibrate excessively, leading to overheating, damage, or even fire.

Outlines

00:00

🔋 Understanding Electricity and Atoms

This paragraph introduces the fundamental concept of electricity, emphasizing its importance in modern life due to the electric force. It explains that atoms, composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons, are the building blocks of all matter. Protons carry a positive charge, electrons a negative charge, and neutrons are neutral. The atomic number, determined by the number of protons, defines the element. In a stable atom, the number of electrons equals the number of protons, resulting in a neutral charge. However, when this balance is disturbed, creating ions, it leads to the flow of electrons, which is electricity. The paragraph also distinguishes between conductors, like metals that allow electron flow, and insulators, like plastic, rubber, and glass, that prevent it. It illustrates how friction or contact between different materials can cause electron transfer, a common example being the static shock from touching a metal object after walking on a carpet.

05:00

🔌 The Role of Voltage and Current in Electricity

The second paragraph delves into the mechanics of an electric circuit, using a battery as an example of an external force that drives electron movement. It likens the battery to a pump, creating an electron surplus at one terminal and a deficit at the other, facilitated by chemical reactions within the battery. The paragraph explains how electrons flow through a conductor, like a copper wire, creating an electric current. It introduces the concept of electric current as the flow rate of electrons, measured in amperes, and compares it to the flow of water. The paragraph also discusses the role of voltage, or electric potential difference, in initiating electron flow. It uses the analogy of a ball's potential energy on Earth to explain how voltage pushes electrons, creating a current. The importance of wire thickness in relation to voltage to prevent overheating and the potential dangers of high voltage are also highlighted.

10:06

⚡ The Impact of Voltage on Electric Current

The final paragraph focuses on the relationship between voltage and electric current, illustrating how an increase in voltage leads to an increase in current. It uses the example of a 1.5-volt battery to explain how the potential difference between two points drives electron flow. The paragraph warns of the dangers of high voltage, such as overheating and potential fires, and emphasizes the importance of using wires of appropriate thickness for safety. It concludes by stressing the need for caution when handling electricity and the potential for humanity to advance through the responsible use of this fundamental force.

Keywords

💡Electric Force

Electric force is one of the four fundamental forces of nature, responsible for the interaction between charged particles. In the context of the video, it plays a crucial role in generating and using electricity, which is essential for modern life. The video explains that atoms, which are the building blocks of all matter, contain charged particles like protons and electrons, and it is the force between these charges that allows for the generation and flow of electricity.

💡Electricity

Electricity is the flow of electric charge, typically through a conductor such as a wire. The video defines electricity as the movement of electrons, which are negatively charged particles orbiting the nucleus of an atom. This movement creates an electric current, which is harnessed in various applications, from powering household appliances to driving industrial machinery.

💡Current

Electric current is the flow of electric charge, measured in amperes (amps). The video explains that current is the rate at which electrons move through a conductor, such as a copper wire. It uses the analogy of water flow to illustrate how current is measured, with one ampere being equivalent to the flow of approximately 6.28 * 10^18 electrons past a given point in one second.

💡Voltage

Voltage, also known as electric potential difference, is the force that pushes electrons through a conductor, creating an electric current. The video likens voltage to a pump, where one side of a battery has an excess of electrons (negative voltage) and the other side has a deficiency (positive voltage). This difference in electric potential drives the flow of electrons, thus creating electricity.

💡Atom

An atom is the basic unit of matter, consisting of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons. The video explains that atoms are composed of these subatomic particles, with protons carrying a positive charge, electrons a negative charge, and neutrons being neutral. The number of protons determines the element, and the balance between protons and electrons determines the atom's charge state.

💡Electrons

Electrons are subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom and carry a negative electric charge. The video describes electrons as the key players in the generation of electricity, as their movement from one atom to another creates an electric current. The number of electrons in an atom's outermost shell, known as valence electrons, can be transferred to other atoms, which is the basis for electrical conductivity.

💡Nucleus

The nucleus is the central part of an atom, containing protons and neutrons. The video emphasizes that while atoms are very small, understanding the nucleus and its components is essential for comprehending the behavior of electricity. The nucleus holds the positively charged protons, which attract the negatively charged electrons that orbit around it.

💡Conductors

Conductors are materials that allow the flow of electric current. The video mentions metals, particularly copper and silver, as examples of good conductors. These materials have valence electrons that can be easily dislodged, allowing them to move freely and thus facilitating the flow of electricity.

💡Insulators

Insulators are materials that do not conduct electricity well because they hold their electrons very tightly. The video gives examples of plastic, rubber, and glass as insulators. These materials are crucial for preventing the flow of electrons where it is not desired, such as in the casing of electrical devices to prevent electric shock.

💡Valence Electrons

Valence electrons are the electrons in the outermost shell of an atom, which play a significant role in chemical bonding and electrical conductivity. The video explains that valence electrons are more loosely held and can be easily transferred between atoms, leading to the flow of electricity. This property is what makes materials like copper and silver good conductors.

💡Electrical Resistance

Electrical resistance is a property of materials that opposes the flow of electric current. The video uses the example of a light bulb's tungsten filament to illustrate resistance. The filament's resistance causes electrons to lose energy as heat, which in turn produces light. Resistance is an important concept in electrical engineering, as it influences the design of circuits and the selection of materials for various applications.

Highlights

Humans have understood the four fundamental forces, including gravitational and electric forces.

Electric force is crucial for generating and using electricity in modern life.

Atoms are composed of a nucleus with protons and neutrons, and electrons orbiting around it.

The number of protons determines the element, and a stable atom has equal numbers of protons and electrons.

Ionized atoms are those with unequal numbers of protons and electrons, resulting in a charge.

Electrons in the outermost shell, called valence electrons, can be easily transferred between atoms.

The movement of electrons constitutes electricity.

Conductors like copper and silver easily allow electron movement, while insulators like plastic, rubber, and glass prevent it.

Electron transfer can occur through contact or friction between different materials.

A battery in a circuit acts as a pump, creating an electric potential difference that drives electron flow.

Electrons flow through a conductor, such as copper wire, creating an electric current.

Electric current is measured in amperes, with one ampere equal to one coulomb of electrons passing a point per second.

The flow of electrons is facilitated by the electric potential difference provided by a battery or generator.

Electric potential energy depends on the charge, amount of charge, and position in an electric field.

The potential difference between two points in a circuit drives the flow of electric current.

Higher voltage in a circuit results in a higher current, while lower voltage results in a lower current.

Proper handling of electric force is crucial for safety, as over 1.2 million electrical accidents occur annually.

Harnessing electric force properly can lead to an advanced civilization in the universe.

Transcripts

Over the years, humans have come to understand well the four fundamental forces of our universe.

Like gravitational force, the electric force plays an important role in our everyday life.

With the help of the electric force, we are able to generate and use electricity which is essential for us in our modern age.

So What is electricity? How does it work? What is the difference between current and voltage?

We already know that everything is made up of atoms. Atoms are very very tiny.

A copper penny would have nearly 3.2 * 10 ^ 22 copper atoms inside.

However, even the atoms aren't small enough to explain the workings of electricity.

We need to dive deeper — to the center of the atom.

Here, the center is called the nucleus. It is made up of particles called protons and neutrons.

Nuclei contain one or more protons and usually an equal number of neutrons.

There are also electrons in orbit around the nucleus.

Protons have a positive charge, electrons have a negative charge, while neutrons have no charge.

The number of protons determines the kind of atom or element.

For example, if an atom contains one proton, then it’s hydrogen;

if it has six protons, then it’s a carbon atom.

The number of protons is called the atomic number of an atom.

In a stable atom, the number of electrons is equal to the number of protons.

So, their charges cancel each other out and result in the atom becoming neutral and stable.

If the number of protons is greater than the number of electrons, the atom is called a positively charged atom.

Similarly, if the number of electrons is greater than the number of protons, the atom is called a negatively charged atom.

We call both positively and negatively charged atoms ionized atoms.

Because the same charges repel each other and opposite charges attract each other,

negatively charged electrons orbit positively charged protons.

Electrons orbit the nucleus, but at different energy levels (also known as shells).

The shell closest to the nucleus can hold two electrons,

the next shell can hold up to 8 electrons, and outer shells can hold even more.

The amount of force acting on two charges depends on how far they are from each other.

The closer two charges get, the greater the force becomes.

The electrons in the shells closest to the nucleus have a strong force of attraction to the protons in the center,

but the electrons in the outermost shell can’t easily hold their position, due to the distance from the center.

These electrons are called valence electrons.

These valence electrons can be easily pushed out of their shell when enough force is applied.

This is how electrons jump from one atom to another.

These moving electrons are what we call electricity.

Atoms sharing their electrons between one another create electricity.

In simple terms, moving charged particles creates electricity.

That means electrons have an electric field, and when electrons move, electricity is created.

If we look at the copper atom, it has one valence electron.

And if we look at the silver atom, it also has a valence electron.

So, from these atoms we can easily remove electrons with enough force.

These materials are called conductors. Most of the metals are conductors.

But some materials hold their electrons very tightly and they don’t share their electrons with nearby atoms.

Those are called insulators.

Insulators serve a very important purpose: they prevent the flow of electrons.

For example, Plastic, rubber, and glass are made up of these types of atoms.

How can we move electrons from one place to another?

It is not a complicated thing: when we rub two objects, electrons will be transferred from one to another.

In some cases, you don’t even need to rub two objects —

sometimes, even simple contact between two different materials is enough to transfer electrons.

For example, when you walk across the carpet, electrons transfer from your body to the carpet.

As a result, you have an absence of electrons in your body.

Nature is always trying to maintain a stable state. So, your body then looks to find electrons.

Carpet is a good insulator, so you can’t get electrons from that.

But when you touch a metal, your body gains electrons from the metal.

In that scenario you feel a little shock in your hand because electrons moving to your hand from the metal create electricity.

Now we look into a simple electric circuit with a battery.

Here, the battery is an external force. It acts like a pump.

One side of the battery has an excess of electrons and the other side does not.

Inside the battery, an insulator facilitates the separation of electrons through chemical reactions.

So here, electrons from the battery move through nearby atoms.

Those nearby atoms should contain valence electrons.

As we have seen before, copper atoms are good conductors which contain valence electrons.

So, we normally use copper wire as a conductor.

Electrons come from the battery, pushing the copper atom’s electrons,

so electrons flowing in the wire in the same general direction create electricity.

The movement of electrons from atom to atom is the same everywhere along a wire.

The distribution does not change as the electrons move.

When you disconnect the battery, each atom is left with its proper number of electrons.

The number of electrons that came out of the wire at the Negative terminal

is exactly equal to the number that entered the wire at the Positive terminal.

Only electrons can move, if their circuit is closed.

If it’s open electrons can’t move, and so no electricity.

If we place a light bulb between the closed circuit, the bulb starts glowing. But how does it glow?

Normally, a bulb has a thin filament made of tungsten.

Even though tungsten is a conductor, it has some resistance.

The long, thin, twisting path creates an electrical resistance and affects the flow of electrons,

so the electrons cannot freely move between atoms,

atoms in the tungsten start vibrating, heating up the tungsten,

and as the result it begins to provide light and glow.

We heard the word ‘current’. So, what is electric current?

A simple small copper wire contains trillions and trillions of electrons.

In a complete closed circuit, electrons moving from one to another direction.

If we look at a single point, we can calculate the number of electrons passing through this point per second.

Current is measured in amperes. One ampere is equal to one coulomb.

The rate that electrons move through a conductor is beyond the ability of the human mind to imagine,

1 coulomb of electrons means 6.28 billion billion electrons

or 6.28 * 10 ^ 18 electrons flowing past a given point in one second.

So, the 1 ampere is the number of electrons passing through a point in one second.

It means the number of electrons that pass a given point in this conductor in just one billionth of a second

is greater than the total number of people living on earth today.

This calculation is similar to the flow of water.

We can calculate how many liters of water pass through a particular point in 1 minute.

So, electric current means nothing but flow.

It is the rate at which electrons flow past a point in a complete electric circuit.

Now we understand how electrons can flow, but how do we get them flowing in the first place?

That’s what batteries or generators do.

They push the first electrons — that push is called voltage.

In a battery, one end has an excess of electrons

while all of the positive charges are on the other side.

So, there is an energy difference between two points called the electric potential difference.

So, what exactly is the electric potential difference?

Let’s consider a motionless ball on the surface of the earth.

This ball is at rest, so its potential energy is zero.

If we want to move the ball directly upward,

we need to provide some energy against the gravitational force acting to pull the ball down to earth,

because gravity is always pulling objects on earth down.

So, we provide some energy to push the ball up into the air and that ball will get some potential energy.

So, the ball above the surface has high potential energy, considering it has 5 joules.

So, if we calculate the difference between the two balls’ potential energy, the potential difference will be 5 joules.

This is called gravitational potential difference.

Now, we come to electric potential.

Similar to gravitational potential, there is electric potential energy between two charged particles.

In terms of gravity, two objects always attract each other.

But in terms of electric force, equally charged particles repel each other and oppositely charged particles attract each other.

So here, positive and negative charged particles stick together due to the electric force.

Now, we need do some work against the electric force to move the negative particle away from the positive particle.

For any charge located in an electric field,

its electric potential energy depends on the type of charge, amount of charge, and its position in the field.

So here, consider the potential energy of one end is 2 which is in its lowest potential state

and the other end has a high potential state of 3.5.

So, the potential difference between two points is 1.5 joules/coulomb or simply 1.5 volts.

So, charges are always trying to equal the potential energy difference.

In a 1.5-volt battery, the electric potential difference between two points is 1.5.

When we connect a copper wire to a battery,

because of electric potential difference, electrons are pushed by the negative terminal and pulled by the positive terminal.

The electrons in the copper will move from atom to atom creating a flow of charge we know as electricity.

The battery will dry out when the potential difference between two points becomes zero.

The flow of electric current is dependent on voltage.

This means that increasing the voltage will cause the current to increase.

The less voltage, the less current; the more voltage, the more current.

If we connect a 100-volt battery in a simple small wire,

the push of the electrons is very high.

The atoms inside the wire are not able to carry the flow of so many electrons,

so atoms start vibrating; the wire will heat up causing damage or fire.

That’s why we use wire with the appropriate thickness depending on voltage.

Even though we humans are well trained about how to handle electric force,

on a global level, more than 1.2 million electrical related accidents occur every year.

So, we need to be more careful to handle the universal forces

and, if we use these forces properly, the time is not too far

when we humans will become an advanced civilization in this universe.