All Questions
Tagged with electricity conductors
160
questions
45
votes
5
answers
61k
views
Speed of light vs speed of electricity
If I arranged an experiment where light raced electricity what would be the results? Let's say a red laser is fired at the same time a switch is closed that applies 110 volts to a 12 gauge loop of ...
- 4,711
1
vote
2
answers
954
views
Does an electron physically flow? [duplicate]
In a DC current in a conductive wire, is it more accurate to think of one electron wiggling its way through a sea of electrons... or to think of one electron bumping into another, which bumps into ...
- 445
0
votes
1
answer
197
views
What is electric current? [closed]
I have been reading a book about electricity which states that: electric current is not the movement of electrons but the "impulse generated when free electrons orderly "jump" from one atom to the ...
- 11
-3
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Physics of throwing a power cord into a swimming pool
I saw a few questions related to swimming pools so I figured out I may ask here.
If one takes a power cord that's plugged into a wall socket on one end and throws the other end in a bath, it may kill ...
1
vote
2
answers
206
views
Resistance Being Proportional to Length And Its Relation to Magnitude of Current
"Resistance of an electrical conductor is proportional to it length"
The intuitive explanation I found in many articles was that the greater the length of the conductor, such as a wire, the greater ...
- 1,387
5
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Temperature distribution in a current carrying conductor
A rod of uniform cross section and composition is connected across a battery. Let the middle part of the rod(when divided into three equal parts) is heated uniformly.
A book says that the temperature ...
- 71
5
votes
4
answers
2k
views
What do we mean when we say an electron collides with a molecule or atom?
When current flows through a conductor, it is said that the flowing electrons collide with the molecules or atoms of that conductor which causes resistance. The collision of electrons with molecules ...
- 279
1
vote
1
answer
49
views
Electric charges
It is known that why we see a small bit of lightning or an electrostatic shock is when placing a negatively charged conductor to a neutral conductor, isn't it?
My question is why do feel hurt or ...
- 99
60
votes
6
answers
46k
views
If water is not a good conductor, why are we advised to avoid water near electricity (no wet hands near circuits etc.)?
How can water be a medium to conduct current while its ionisation is so negligible that, in principle, no current should flow?
- 737
0
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Heating of an non-ohmic conductor
So I know that if you increase the voltage across a wire then the current will increase. But an increase in current leads to a increase in heat production though $P=I^2R$, but as the temperature ...
- 273
2
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Field due to internal Induced charge on a conductor to an external point?
A charge q is located at a distance r from the center of a conducting sphere with inner radius 2r. The charge induces charges on the inner surface of the sphere according to Gauss' law .
The electric ...
user149415
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How is the speed of electricity determined?
Before I am told this is a duplicate, I'd like to be specific here. I have searched online for an answer regarding the speed of electricity in general and haven't found what I'm looking for. Even in ...
5
votes
2
answers
695
views
Why do electrons follow the conductors shape?
I'm stuck thinking about this situation. I imagine that there are two oppositely charged objects at short distance $r$, put inside an insulator (Can I say air?). They generate a net elctric field, ...
2
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Does saline water lose conductivity over time?
When current is passed through a beaker of salt water, the ions move towards the terminals (based on their charge– e.g., sodium ions to the cathode and chlorine ions to the anode).
Following this ...
- 21
2
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Tap water conductivity differences between AC and DC
Direct current is often used in electrolysis and because of the alternating nature of AC, it's not great for electrolysis. Tap water, however, conducts AC really well.
But why is that? Why does ...
- 21