Human connection with electrical energy is very strong. Electrical energy is the main driver in driving all aspects of human life. However, sometimes we don’t know how electricity is generated.
Understanding Electricity
According to a report from Science News Explores, the term electricity refers to the energy associated with charged particles.
Electrical energy can be stored, as happens in batteries.
When a battery is connected to a light bulb, electrical energy flows.
This is caused by the movement of electric charges, namely electrons, which carry energy from the battery through the light bulb.
Another approach to explaining electricity is as a flow of electrons between atoms. Information from the U.S.
Energy Information Administration website outlines that electrons generally reside at a fixed distance from the atomic nucleus within specific atomic shells.
Each atomic shell closest to the nucleus can hold up to two electrons, while subsequent shells can hold up to eight electrons.
The outer shell has a greater capacity to accommodate electrons.
Electrical Function
Of course, there are many functions of electricity for human life. Below we will mention some of them:
1. Source of Lighting
One of the main uses of electricity is as a provider of light. Its presence has provided significant improvements in the quality of daily life.
Before the era of electricity, people depended on light sources such as candles or oil lamps.
The process of using them is time-consuming and requires complicated preparations, such as preparing oil for an oil lamp or melting wax manually.
The comparison with the convenience offered by electricity today is clear.
2. Heat Generator
The benefits of electricity are not only as a source of lighting but also to provide heat needed for various daily activities.
One of its main uses is as a heat source, where electricity is used to produce heat through devices that use heating elements.
This process occurs by passing a current through the nickel, thereby producing the necessary heat.
3. Motion Generator
Not only as a heat source, electricity also has an important role as a driving force. Electricity has the ability to be converted into various other forms of energy.
The use of electricity as a driving force is very common in household appliances such as blenders, mixers and fans.
How Electricity is Generated
To produce electricity, there is more than one method or source that can be used. The following is a further explanation:
1. Hydropower
Using the power of a strong water flow, this power plant drives its generator.
In this way, the potential energy from rivers or lakes can be utilized to produce electricity.
Furthermore, the electricity produced will be distributed to residents’ homes through the distribution network.
2. Solar Power
Installing solar panels on the roof of a house is an efficient solution for generating electricity independently.
By capturing energy from the sun, both in the form of light and heat, solar panels are able to convert it into electrical power that can be stored in batteries.
This stored energy can then be used for various daily needs without having to depend on external electricity supplies.
3. Wind Power
How to produce electricity from wind energy, generally using a wind turbine that rotates a generator.
However, wind power plants tend to produce noise and have a low level of stability because they depend on the available wind power.
4. Coal Power
Coal-fired power plants are one type of power plant that is often used.
This is due to its large capacity to produce electrical energy, allowing its distribution to homes and the industrial sector.
However, the use of coal has a negative impact on air quality, making it a less environmentally friendly energy source.
Apart from that, coal is also a limited resource and is expected to run out one day.
5. Accumulator
An accumulator or battery is an electrical power source formed from a chemical solution containing sulfuric acid. In addition, when the electrical energy in the battery runs out, it can be recharged via electric current.
Inside the battery, there are lead peroxide plates soaked in sulfuric acid solution.
Like batteries, batteries also have positive and negative terminals so they can be connected and flow electric current.
That is an explanation of how electricity is generated, the meaning and function of electricity.
So with electricity, human life will certainly be helped.
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