Electricity is created when energy is converted from one form to another. This can happen through the use of mechanical energy, chemical energy, or heat energy. In the case of electricity, it’s created when heat energy is converted into electrical energy. It is a fundamental part of our daily lives. We use it to power our appliances, charge our phones, and light our homes. But what makes it so special? Here are six interesting facts about electricity you might be interested in.
1. Moving As One
You can’t see electricity, but you can see the effects of it. When electricity flows through a wire, it creates a magnetic field. This makes the wire become magnetized and can cause it to move or attract other objects. Electromagnetic fields (EMF) are made up of both invisible electric and magnetic fields of force. They are generated by accelerating electric charges, and the closer these charges are, the stronger the EMF. Devices called EMF meters measure electromagnetic fields in order to test for dangerous levels. When in optimal levels, EMFs are used for things like X-rays and cell phone towers. The electricity that runs through our homes is also an EMF.
2. Optics And Energy
Light can be somewhat bendy, at least that’s what people found when they started experimenting with it. The effect is called diffraction and happens because of the electromagnetic nature of light. In many ways, light is very similar to electricity. In fact, light is an electromagnetic wave phenomenon – energy that travels in waves and can be diffracted. When light hits a barrier, some of it is reflected off while the rest passes through. The angle at which the light hits the barrier and the thickness of the barrier determine how much light is reflected and how much passes through. Basically, light waves are both a particle and a wave. When you shine a beam of light through a gap or around an object, different parts of the beam can be slowed down or sped up by certain materials. In practice, optic cables can be made by bending light around small turns, allowing for electricity to travel very long distances without losing much energy. This technology is used in fiber optic cables to send information, like the internet, through thin strands of glass.
3. The Battle Of Currents
The tale of direct and alternating currents. In the late 1800s, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla were in a battle of currents: direct and alternating. Direct current (DC) flows in one direction and doesn’t change direction. Direct current is what’s produced by batteries. Alternating current (AC) changes direction and allows for easy converting between higher and lower voltages. This pattern of reversing directions is called a cycle. Eddison wasn’t a fan of Tesla’s work and even set out to demonstrate how dangerous AC could be. To that end, Eddison spread rumors that AC is highly volatile, and even conducted public experiments of sorts where he electrocuted stray animals to prove that AC is not something anyone would want in their home. Tesla’s alternating current won out in the end, but Edison’s direct current is still used in some applications today, like cars and airplanes.
4. Electric Eels
These slimy creatures are among the few animals in the world that produce electricity. Electrophorus electricus, or more commonly known as electric eels, are so specific that they’ve been reclassified several times since their discovery. The main organ, Hunter’s organ, and Sachs’ organ are three pairs of abdominal organs in electric eels that generate electricity. These enable electric eels to generate two types of electric organ discharges (EODs), low voltage and high voltage. Low voltage or high-frequency pulses are used in an electroporation way, for electric eels to sense prey in their surroundings. Once a potential meal is detected, they unleash a high-voltage discharge that can be up to 600 volts. It’s this high-voltage discharge that can kill a human. Despite this, electric eels are popular in aquariums because of their impressive ability to generate electricity.
5. Lenz’s Law
Every day, we take advantage of the smallest differential in heat – from head to feet. We have special blood vessels called arteries that help regulate our body temperature by moving warm or cold from spots that are warmer or colder than the heart. Warm areas, like the brain and hands, send excess heat back to the heart through veins. This process relies on a temperature gradient, which is the difference between the two areas. The following law states that an induced current in a circuit always has a magnetic field that opposes the change in current that creates it. Basically, this means that when you’re cold and shiver to create heat, your body hairs also cause friction which creates additional heat through a certain kind of movement called the ‘heat” or “eddy’ current. This extra heat then warms up the blood in your veins and helps to bring more warm blood to your core.
6. Electric Impulses
The way we think and communicate with the world is possible because of electricity. Every time we move, think, or speak, we generate tiny electric impulses. Our brains generate these impulses through a process called action potentials. Action potentials are generated by neurons and can travel long distances without losing their energy. This is possible because the neuron membrane is selectively permeable, meaning that it only allows certain ions through. When an action potential is generated, the neuron opens up its sodium channels and allows sodium ions to flow into the cell. This influx of ions causes the voltage across the neuron membrane to increase, which in turn causes more channels to open. This positive feedback loop creates an electric current that travels down the neuron until it reaches the axon terminals. The axon terminals then release neurotransmitters, which communicate with other neurons and muscles. From the tiny electrical impulses that allow us to move our hands and feet, to the larger impulses that enable our brains to think and communicate, these actions are only possible with electricity.
Electricity is such a useful and integral part of our daily lives that we often take it for granted. It’s surprising to know the impact electricity has on us, from how it forms in eels to how it enables action potentials in our neurons. Realizing just how much we owe this phenomenon makes these 6 interesting facts about electricity all the more fascinating.
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