About Electricity

It is easy to take electricity for granted. But it is of crucial importance in our daily lives. Just some of the things we use electricity for in our homes include heating, cooling, cooking, refrigeration, light, sound, computers and entertainment.

Simply, electricity is a form of energy resulting from the transfer of charged particles (e.g. electrons). For example, when a piece of fur is rubbed against a glass rod, there is an accumulation of charged particles. This accumulation is known as static electricity and is created because electrons are actually being forced from one object on to the other. This also happens when walking across carpet, and when driving a car.

When a charge is directed through a conductor such as a wire, a flow of current is created which can then be transferred to machinery or other items capable of using the current.

For this to happen, the conductor must be insulated from other objects.

Some materials conduct electricity better than others. Most metals and ionic solutions such as salt water conduct electricity well, while insulators such as glass, paper or plastic allow little or no electricity to flow through. Gold, silver, aluminium and copper are the best metal conductors of electricity. Because copper is the cheapest of these highly conductive materials, it is used for most of the wires in a typical New Zealand household.

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Introduction Making Electricity	About Electricity It is easy to take electricity for granted. But it is of crucial importance in our daily lives. Just some of the things we use electricity for in our homes include heating, cooling, cooking, refrigeration, light, sound, computers and entertainment. Simply, electricity is a form of energy resulting from the transfer of charged particles (e.g. electrons). For example, when a piece of fur is rubbed against a glass rod, there is an accumulation of charged particles. This accumulation is known as static electricity and is created because electrons are actually being forced from one object on to the other. This also happens when walking across carpet, and when driving a car. When a charge is directed through a conductor such as a wire, a flow of current is created which can then be transferred to machinery or other items capable of using the current. For this to happen, the conductor must be insulated from other objects. Some materials conduct electricity better than others. Most metals and ionic solutions such as salt water conduct electricity well, while insulators such as glass, paper or plastic allow little or no electricity to flow through. Gold, silver, aluminium and copper are the best metal conductors of electricity. Because copper is the cheapest of these highly conductive materials, it is used for most of the wires in a typical New Zealand household.