Electricity – Page 2 – Supervillain U

As discussed above, what physically travels through the wires is not electricity, but negatively charged electrons. This flow of electrons creates an electric current: a jump of negatively charged electrons from one atom to another. Electricity can travel up to 300 miles if the transmission wires conducting it are ideal. however, this is rarely realized in practice, and electricity is normally generated within 50 miles of where it is used. This is because of inefficiencies in the electrical grid. When alternating current (AC) waves flow through a wire, the electrons in that wire oscillate back and forth 60 times per second. As stated earlier, although the speed of electric current transmission is close to the speed of light, oscillating electrons can only move at a speed of a few millimeters per second. It would take an electron two hours to travel 15 feet along the wire, so when we turn on the lights, what we think of as electricity must obviously be electricity, not electricity. Although the moving electrons are actually moving slowly through the wire, let's say the speed of electricity is close to the speed of light (extremely fast). If you make an electron move when you turn on the switch, the electrons move throughout the wire, even if the wire is miles long. The speed of one electron in a metal wire is usually millions of kilometers per hour. Are Electrons Without Mass? No, electrons have mass, and nothing with mass can move at the speed of light. Electricity is just a flow of electrons, and these electrons have mass, but ridiculously few. Strictly speaking, electricity is just a flow of electrons, so it makes no sense to talk about it in terms of weight, as it is an abstract quantity. Sound can travel through a tube only if the tube is filled with air molecules, and electrical energy can only flow through a wire because the wire is filled with moving charges. Electricity does not travel through wires like sound does through air, but always travels in space outside the wires. Travel is related to the fact that electrical energy consists of electric and magnetic fields created by moving electrons, but existing in the space surrounding the wires. The electricity that runs through the copper wires in your home is made up of moving electrons. Power is transmitted through thick wires to a power transformer, which amplifies the power over the long journey of the power line. Transmission lines carry high-voltage power, typically 345,000 volts, over long distances between power plants and consumers. High-voltage power lines are large, tall, expensive, and potentially dangerous, so we only use them when we need to carry power over long distances. First, electricity is transmitted over long distances via high-voltage transmission lines, often spanning miles across the country. How Power Plants Produce and Transmit Energy In power plants, transformers boost the voltage of the energy produced by thousands of volts so that it can be transmitted over long distances over high-voltage power lines. Electricity produced from fossil fuels, nuclear fuels and renewable energy sources can be transmitted over long distances from power plants along transmission lines with minimal losses. When electrical energy has to be transmitted over very long distances, the power loss in AC transmission becomes noticeable and it is cheaper to use DC instead of AC. The transmission of high voltage electricity reduces the proportion of energy lost to resistance, which varies depending on the individual conductors, the current flowing, and the length of the transmission line. As the voltage increases, the current increases, thereby minimizing power loss during transmission. Electricity is transmitted at high voltage (66 kV or higher) to reduce the energy loss that occurs during transmission over long distances. Electricity is transmitted at very high voltages because it limits so-called line losses. What Conductors Do for Electricity Poor conductors of electricity have a high resistance to the flow of electrons, which prevents the flow of electric current from one point to another. Materials that are excellent conductors of electricity also offer a certain amount of resistance to its flow, and this resistance becomes significant over long distances. As you know, water is a strong conductor, so mixing water with electricity can be a serious hazard. The reason is that there are free H+ ions in the water, which help the electricity to pass through it. Temperature changes in power lines can have a significant impact on power losses in the line. Although technological developments have minimized losses in the modern power grid, about 5 percent of electricity is lost in transmission and distribution. Although high-voltage power lines can carry electricity much farther—tens and hundreds of miles—the losses are small, about two percent. In the early days of commercial electricity, transmission of electricity at the same voltage used for lighting and mechanical loads limited the distance between the power plant and consumers. Power transmission is distinct from local wiring between high voltage substations and consumers, which is commonly referred to as power distribution. The Necessity of Power Lines Power lines are bundles of cables, known as conductors, that carry electricity from power plants to remote substations. Electricity can also be transmitted through underground power cables rather than overhead power lines. The lower voltage is needed to safely carry electricity through the smaller wires, known as distribution lines, that the San Patricio Electric Cooperative uses to power your home. In practical terms, this means that high voltage electricity can travel through cables in items such as wooden ladders and long-handled wood trimming tools. The science behind production and how electricity travels through cables remains a mystery to many. The physics is complex, but in essence, the electric current in the cables of a circuit is possible thanks to a general purpose generator (a turbine powered by wind, water, a nuclear reactor, or burning fossil fuels). For example, in order for a light bulb to light up when you press this switch at home, electricity flows from power plants through lines to the lamp and finally to the source.