What happens to wires when electricity flows through them?

Answer 1

When electricity flows through a wire, it turns the atoms into ions by moving the electrons inside those atoms.

Copper is one of the best 'conductors' of electricity because its electrons are very easily moved from atom to atom. When a wire is connected to electricity it takes on a 'positive' and 'negative' end. The electrons will always want to flow from the positive end to the negative end. This movement of electrons works the same way in most materials, but more or less amplified depending on the availability of 'free' - or easily moved - electrons. It is also the reason for the feeling we get across our bodies when we get an electric shock.

While materials that are good conductors have an availability of electrons to move, those that are good insulators are the opposite and instead have an excess of protons. Things like plastic, glass and paper are good insulators.

Answer 2

The simple answer: depending on the size (gauge) and length of the wires, as well as on how much current is flowing through them and their resistance, they heat up. Normally this isn't noticeable, though if you have ever tried to power a device with a large motor using a very light-duty extension cord, you may have noticed the plug or cord itself to be warm or even hot to the touch.

The more technical explanation is that electricity is created by particles that carry a charge, usually electrons. In a wire or any other conductor, electrons move freely around the stationary atomic nuclei making up the conductor. Electrical current is the movement of these charged particles. In most conductors, the flow of electrons is impeded by some resistance, which can be thought of as collisions of electrons with the nuclei or other electrons. This creates an atomic-level "friction" which produces heat (and light in some cases, such as a light bulb or glowing heater element). The important thing to remember is that an electron does not need to travel all the way through a wire for a device on the other end to receive power. When you turn on the tap to fill a glass, the water company doesn't have to pump a glassful of water from their facility all the way to your house - there is already water in the pipe, and they just need to add a little more on their end for some to come out your tap. If some electrons are pushed into one end of the wire, some will come out the other end because the uncharged metal in the wire already contains a sea of electrons.

Matt Kramer - Madison, WI mfkramer@wisc.edu

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utsav2000

let me add something that the wire is heated up. it is mainly due to friction. what happens is that the charged particles{electrons and protons} in the current rub against the atoms of conductor to slow down.The other particles coming from behind clash with the one slowed and start movement and shaking other molecules.this vibration causes the conductor to heat up and electric current to show its heating effect.

hope it worked.

Answer 3

Electrons move slowly through the object (~1mm per hour) following random paths as they bounce off atoms and other electrons. This joggling of electrons propagates through the object (at speeds approaching that of light) producing an electric current, as well as causing resistive heating of the object and a magnetic field around the object.

Answer 4

electricity can flow between two objects! if you are using a light bulb and a buzzer the energy from the light bulb and the lamp charges the buzzer. therefore having the buzzer make a very loud buzzing noise

Answer 5

Three things in general - 1) the wire heats up due to having some electrical resistance (unless it is a superconductor) 2) a magnetic field is formed 3) electrons are displaced from their parent atoms and move along the wire.

Answer 6

When electricity flows through a wire, it causes electrons to move along the conductor. This movement creates an electric current that carries energy from the source to the load. The wire heats up due to the resistance it offers to the flow of electrons, which is why some wires get warm when electricity passes through them.

Answer 7

When an object is electrically charged, it will have an induced charge, meaning that the electron density is shifted towards one side of the object.

Answer 8

Electrons are always charged. Please be more specific?

Answer 9

Electrons move through the wire