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In the case of a metal conductor, such as a wire, an electric current is the result of a drift of free electrons along the conductor. Free electrons are electrons that have become detached from the outer orbit of the metal atoms, and move haphazardly from atom to atom. You can think of these electrons behaving somewhat like a gas that fills the voids between individual fixed atoms. This 'gas' of electrons is in a constant state of rapid, random, and chaotic motion. However, when a potential difference is applied across the ends of the conductor, there is a tendency for individual electrons to gradually move from the negative end of the conductor to the positive end. Individual electrons move in this direction VERY slowly -in the order of millimetres per hour. Since this happens to ALL the free electrons at the same time, the effect of this drift is felt practically immediately along the entire length of the conductor.
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Why do you keep getting electric shocks off your cat?
static electricity of their fur, like when you rub your hands along the base of a trampoline :)
What are electromagnetic devices?
An electromagnetic device is any device that uses electromagnets to operate. Some examples include: electric motors, electric generators (alternators), speakers, etc. An electromagnet is typically a coil of wire with an electric current running through it which generates a magnetic field according to laws and principles developed by Ampere, Faraday, and Maxwell among others. Electromagnetism was discovered by Oersted in 1820.
What are the similarities and differences between direct current and alternating current?
Both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) describe the nature of the current in terms of its direction. DC describes when the flow of electric charge goes in a constant direction whereas AC describes when the flow of electric charge constantly reverses; in other words, the electrodes of the power source constantly switch between positive and negative.
What are the Basic principles of how the circuit functions?
An electrical circuit is any closed loop that allows a flow of electrons in a current to deliver energy or perform work and then return to their source.Material along which electrical current flows freely arecalled conductors. (e.g. copper-wire) The electrons emit and return to an energy supply.Current is said to flow from positive to negative, because this is the conventional direction of current flow. It is a convention leftover from the when electricity was first discovered.Electrons actually move through a conductor awayfrom the negative terminal and towards the positive terminal, because of the laws governing electric fields (like charges repel and unlike charges attract). The power-supply produces an EMF (electro-motive-force) that creates the potential difference necessary for electrons to flow freely along a conductor.The natural force is called Electromagnetism.Opposite charges attract. An electron will move away from a negative terminal and towards the positive.In physics it is best to think of the current flow in a metallic conductor as being the overall net flow of negative charge since that is what carries energy This movement is known as net current drift and is slow compared to continual random motion of electrons. That random motion yields no overall displacement over time. Therefore power is neither consumed nor created along a current.
Why armature rehostat is kept at maximum position?
In a series DC motor used for traction, the armature rheostat is there to limit the current on starting. In normal running the rheostat is set to zero ohms (maximum power) so that power is not wasted in it. At full speed the power is turned off, the vehicle then coasts along until it's time to stop.
What is the word for the steady flow of electric charges along a path is an electric?
The word is "current."
What is the movement of electrons along a conductor called?
It is called, "electric current", and is measured in "Amperes".
How does increasing the electric field magnitude along a wire affect the current density?
Increasing the electric field magnitude along a wire will increase the current density. This is because a higher electric field will cause more electrons to move through the wire, resulting in a higher flow of electric current.
What is best describes an electric current?
An electric current is the flow of electric charge through a medium, typically a conductor. It is measured in amperes (A) and is the movement of electrons along a path due to the presence of an electric field.
What happens to the charge of a wire when a current flows through it?
When a current flows through a wire, the charge within the wire does not change. The charge carriers (usually electrons) move along the wire, creating an electric current, but the total charge remains constant.
What do you called a current that moves in a wire?
The movement of charged particles along a wire is called electric current.
What is a movement of electrons along a conductor called?
It is called, "electric current", and is measured in "Amperes".
What is the relationship between the speed of electrons in a wire and the flow of electric current?
The speed of electrons in a wire is typically very slow, but the flow of electric current is fast. This is because when a voltage is applied to a wire, it creates an electric field that pushes electrons along the wire, causing the flow of electric current.
What is the path along which electric charges flow called?
The path along which electric charges flow is called a circuit. It can be a closed loop of conductive materials that allows electrons to move from one point to another, creating an electric current.
What type of electricity flows along a path?
Electricity flows along a path in the form of electrons moving through a conductor, such as a wire. This movement of electrons creates an electric current that carries energy from one point to another. The type of electricity that flows along a path is typically called electric current.
What is the difference between an electric discharge and an electric current?
An electric discharge is a sudden flow of electricity between two charged points, often resulting in a spark or lightning. An electric current is a continuous flow of electric charge along a conductor, such as a wire. While both involve the movement of electricity, an electric discharge is typically a short-lived event, whereas an electric current is sustained over time.
Which is true electric current running along a wire can be used to produce magnetic force or moving electrons through a magnetic field can produce an electric current?
They're both true, but I'm not comfortable with the way they're stated. I would have said: -- Electric current through a wire produces magnetic force. -- Moving electrons constitute an electric current, whether or not they're moing througha magnetic field.
