What is electricity?
When you turn on a light, ring a doorbell, or plug in a coffee pot, you
start a parade—but it’s a parade you can’t see!
The parade is a parade of moving, pushing electrons (ih
[lehk]{.smallcaps} trahnz). The energy of the moving electrons is called
electricity. It is what makes the light, the doorbell, and the coffee
pot work.
All matter is made up of tiny bits called atoms. Every atom has a
center, or nucleus [(noo]{.smallcaps} klee uhs). The nucleus is
surrounded by one or more spinning electrons.
In some kinds of matter, the electrons can move very easily. They can be
pushed from atom to atom. As the electrons move, they push on other
electrons and make those electrons move. They make a sort of \”parade.”
Each electron in the \”parade” carries only a small amount of energy.
And each electron travels only a short distance on each push. But inside
a single wire there are millions and millions of electrons. So, when you
press a button or turn a switch, the parade you start is a big one!
Millions of electrons move through the wire, making a strong push that
gets work done.
