All Questions
Tagged with electricity electric-current
791
questions
78
votes
11
answers
56k
views
Why is the charge naming convention wrong?
I recently came to know about the Conventional Current vs. Electron Flow issue.
Doing some search I found that the reason for this is that Benjamin Franklin made a mistake when naming positive and ...
- 1,291
52
votes
6
answers
286k
views
Why is AC more "dangerous" than DC?
After going through several forums, I became more confused whether it is DC or AC that is more dangerous. In my text book, it is written that the peak value of AC is greater than that of DC, which is ...
- 2,565
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
39
votes
5
answers
29k
views
If the Earth is a good conductor of electricity, why don't people get electrocuted every time they touch the Earth?
Since the Earth is a good conductor of electricity, is it safe to assume that any charge that flows down to the Earth must be redistributed into the Earth in and along all directions?
Does this also ...
- 1,867
38
votes
8
answers
20k
views
Is electricity really the flow of electrons or is it more involved?
I am new to the physics category of the Stack Exchange site. I apologize if my question is wrong, too broad, simple, or worded incorrectly. I am just trying to figure out what is true and false when ...
- 499
25
votes
6
answers
5k
views
In aluminum, how does electricity travel through the surface oxide layer?
Suppose I connect a conductive wire (cross section 1 mm$^2$) to an aluminum object. Since aluminum is highly conductive, electricity will flow smoothly inside the object with little resistance. ...
- 4,080
22
votes
6
answers
92k
views
In an alternating current, do electrons flow from the source to the device?
If electrons in an alternating current periodically reverse their direction, do they really flow? Won't they always come back to the same position?
- 221
21
votes
8
answers
13k
views
Why do we reduce only current to prevent power loss? Why not voltage?
In power transmission lines current is kept low and voltage is kept high to reduce the power loss. This is because $P = I^{2}R$ and $P = VI$. In order to reduce power loss we have to reduce $I$ since $...
- 335
21
votes
8
answers
419k
views
Why do bulbs glow brighter when connected in parallel?
Consider a circuit powered by a battery. If light bulbs are attached in parallel, the current will be divided across all of them. But if the light bulbs are connected in series, the current will be ...
- 351
20
votes
4
answers
5k
views
Are the "bird sitting on a live wire" answers wrong?
Long ago, my high school teacher wrote the popular question on board,
"Why doesn't a bird sitting on a live wire get electrocuted?"
He gave us four options (I don't remember all of them) ...
- 1,441
18
votes
5
answers
12k
views
How does a wire carry alternating current?
Consider a simple network of a bulb whose two terminals are connected to two wires with open ends A and B respectively
A o--------💡--------o B
Now if a DC ...
- 510
16
votes
3
answers
121k
views
Why do birds sitting on electric wires not get shocked?
When we touch electric wires, we get shocked. Why don't birds sitting on electric wires not get shocked?
16
votes
3
answers
27k
views
Where do electrons in electricity come from?
Where do the electrons come from when an electric generator is making electricity? Is from the air? Would a generator work in a vacuum? Electrons have mass so where would they be pulled from if ...
- 161
15
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Tree vs lightning rod: why does one burn and the other not?
I have this simple question, but I cannot find the answer.
I saw this video about a plane getting hit by lightning. In it, Captain Joe explains why people do not get electrocuted. This has a simple ...
- 314
14
votes
4
answers
26k
views
How can one derive Ohm's Law? [duplicate]
I am looking for the derivation of Ohm's Law, i.e., $V$ is directly proportional to $I$. Can someone help me with it?
- 559