What is Electricity?

Going straight to the point, electricity is the movement of electrons. Electrons create charge, which we can harness to do work. Your lightbulbs, your tv, your appliances, etc., are all harnessing the movement of the electrons in order to do work. They all operate using the same basic power source: the movement of electrons.

These are the three basic principles of electricity:

Voltage

Voltage is the force that causes electrons to flow. Heat, light, magnetism, chemical action, and mechanical pressure are some of the many forces that create voltage. We measure voltage by the electrical unit volt and commonly represent it in formulas with the capital letters “E” or “V.” We also refer to voltage as potential, potential difference, electrical pressure, or electromotive force.

Current

Current is the flow of electrons. It is the part of electricity that accomplishes the work. This movement of electron causes heat, chemical change, shock, electrocution, and magnetism. The amount of current determines the strength of these effects. The unit of measure for current is amperes. This refers to a given amount of electrons to pass a given point in one second. We commonly represent current using the capital letter “I” or “A” in formulas.

The original theory of electric current is that the flow is from the positive terminal through the circuit and returns to the power source at the negative terminal. This is called the conventional flow since many of the electrical pioneers based electrical theories, formulas, and symbols upon this idea. The movement of the negatively charged electrons is the definition of current flow. Over many years of research into electricity, scientists learned that the actual direction of electron flow is from negative to positive.

Resistance

Resistance is the opposition to current flow. The unit of measure of resistance is the ohm. We commonly represent resistance using the capital letter “R” or the Greek letter “Ω” (omega). There are factors that affect the amount of resistance. These are the type of material, the length, the cross-sectional area, and the temperature of the conductor.

Electricity travels in closed circuits. It has to have a complete path before electrons can move through it. When you turn on a light by flipping a switch, you close a circuit. Of course, this means that by flipping a switch off, you open a circuit. Electricity flows from the electric wire, through the light, and back into the wire. The same concept applies to your television or your appliances– when you turn them on, you close a circuit for electricity to flow through the wires and power them.