From Energy to Electricity --- Understanding How Electricity Works Catherine Walker American Public University

What is energy? Energy is the ability to do work. In fact, whenever something moves, heats, cools, grows, changes or produces light or sound, energy is involved. Energy is the power to change things.

Static vs. Current There are two kinds of electricity: Static electricity Imbalance of positively and negatively charged atoms. Electrons jump from atom to atom, releasing energy. Two examples of static electricity are lightning and rubbing your feet on the carpet and then touching a doorknob. http://www.jcpb.com/quickLinks/basicElectricity/static.asp

Static vs. Current There are two kinds of electricity: Current electricity Constant flow of electrons. Two kinds of current electricity: direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). Direct current: electricity the electrons move in one direction. Batteries produce direct current. Alternating current: electrons flow in both directions. Power plants produce AC electric current. http://www.jcpb.com/quickLinks/basicElectricity/static.asp

Primary Sources of Energy http://cleanet.org/images/clean/literacy/us_energy_consuption_source.jpg

The Basics of Generating Electricity http://cogeneration.net/steamturbine.jpg

How Electricity Travels http://www.english-online.at/science/electricity/electicity-transportation-power-lines.gif

Electricity Electricity is a secondary source of energy. That means that we must use other energy sources to make electricity. What are the three primary energy sources used in the U.S. to generate electricity? http://cleanet.org/images/clean/literacy/us_energy_consuption_source.jpg

http://www. energy. ca. gov/maps/powerplants/Power_Plants_Statewide http://www.energy.ca.gov/maps/powerplants/Power_Plants_Statewide.gif

California's Generation Mix (2008) http://www.energy.ca.gov/2009_energypolicy/

What else around your home requires electricity to operate? In your home, electricity runs the lights, television, toaster, and more. What else around your home requires electricity to operate? Lamp: http://www.siamhousedesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Table-Lamps4.jpg TV: http://www.220-electronics.com/tv/samsung-b530_multisystem_lcd_tv_small.jpg Toaster: http://images.wikia.com/swfanon/images/8/8f/Toaster.jpg

It’s easy to see what electricity does for us, but how does electricity really work?

A Complete Electrical Circuit For electricity to work, you need a complete circuit. A complete a circuit is made up of three things: A source of electrons. Something to use the electrons. A path for the electrons to move.

Video: discoveryeducation.com

Can you detect the three things that make up a complete circuit? Current Electricity Can you detect the three things that make up a complete circuit? A source of electrons. Something to use the electrons. A path for the electrons to use.

A bit more about electrons

The wire in an electrical circuit is made of atoms The wire in an electrical circuit is made of atoms. Atoms contain electrons. Electrons move from one atom to another. When electrons move between atoms, a current of electricity is created. Atom model: http://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/c-atom_e1.gif Flow of electrons: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_a3uhLahzndA/TVCateUzxjI/AAAAAAAAADo/TDxOOzkqqd4/s1600/ElectronFlow.JPG

Demonstration of how electrons move from atom to atom.

A Working Circuit Video: discoveryeducation.com

Label Your Diagram Building a Circuit Self-drawn

Here is What We Will Build Circuit: http://rkm.com.au

Build an Electric Circuit

How Our Electric Circuit Compares to Your House

An Electrical Circuit in Your Home Self-drawn Do you see two complete circuits?

Conductors and Insulators These are materials in which it is easy to get electrons to move and provide a flow of electric current. Paperclip Piece of copper A bolt Insulators These are materials in which it is difficult to get current to flow. Paper Plastic Styrofoam What do conductors have in common?