CURRENT CONCEEPT

What is electricity

In simple terms, electricity is a flow of energy.  Electricity flows through electrical wires and components like lamp, heater, motor etc.  It flows like water flows through steel or plastic pipes.

An electric current is a flow of positive charge substances from +ve to -ve (conventional theory).  While later theory says electricity is a flow of –ve charge electron flowing from –ve to +ve.  The electron theory was discovered much later than electricity discovered.  At that time it was not possible to find out the direction of electric current flow.  Therefore, at that time it was accepted that electricity was a flow of positive charge substances from +ve to –ve terminal of a battery or power supply.  When electron theory came into effect scientists discovered that flow of electricity is a flow of electrons (-ve charge particles) from –ve terminal to +ve terminal of a battery or power supply.  By the time the flow of electric current theory (from +ve to –ve) was established and accepted and is still in the practice.  So, don’t be confused to understand the electric current flow, since positive charge particles flowing form +ve to –ve are equivalent to –ve charge electrons flowing from –ve to +ve terminal.

 

But what !      

 

Metals are not only conductor of electricity.  For example, what happens if you place your fingers across live electric outlet socket or a naked live wire, one would suffer a dangerous or lethal electric shock.  During this painful experience there was certain electric current flow in the body.  Are there electron flow in human body ?  Some other examples are fluorescent tubes, lightening in the sky in stormy weather, electrolytic capacitors and batteries too.