Electricity is defined as the flow of electrical charge. A charge is denoted by q, and Current is represented by E. Charge comes in two types- negative and positive. (+) And (-). Electricity is a physical phenomenon associated with the motion of matter that is charged. Electricity is related to magnetism. Like any other energy in the universe, Electricity can not be created or destroyed.
Electricity flows from the high potential to low potential, and on this principle alone, the Electricity is transferred from electricity grids to our house.
Electricity and its uses-
– it is used to run our phones, television devices, fans, air conditioners, computers. It is there in every form, and it is very difficult to escape it. If someone wants to cook food, we need Electricity for that (mixer grinder, microwave)
– if someone wishes to wash their clothes we need Electricity for that too, i.e., a washing machine.
– it is used in the beauty and fashion industry – flat irons, curler, dryer. experiment using a kite, key, chain
Speed of Electricity
When you press on a switch, the light instantly glows; this makes one wonder what the Electricity’s speed is. There is a general misconception that electricity travel at the speed of light.
Electricity’s speed depends on the various factor circumference of the wire, material, and resistance of the wire.
The speed of Electricity is equal to the rate of the electrons passing through a conductor. The fastest thing in the universe is the light, which travels at the speed of 299792458 m/s. Electricity generally travels at 90% of the speed light, so somewhat approximately 290,000 Km/s.
Best conductors
Electricity needs a medium to travel, and it cannot pass through a vacuum. Hence the medium through which the electricity pass is called a conductor.
The top conductor of Electricity is as follows :
- Silver (Ag)Pure silver is the best conductor of electricity, but it is not widely used for that purpose.
This is the cause of the scarcity of this element on the earth. The cost of metal is high and has a low melting point. Therefore it is not suited for making wire. - Copper (Cu)Copper is the most commonly used metal to make wire and electricals. Due to its abundance availability and its property to conduct Electricity, a copper alloy is ideal for the job. Copper is used for Electricity Travel.
- Gold (Au)Gold is the third-best conductor of Electricity, but it has similar flaws as silver. Low availability, high cost
And the low melting point, hence it is also not used in day to day practice. They are often used for experiment purposes.
