Pdfs
Electricity
Electricity: The Mysterious Force
What exactly is the mysterious force we call electricity? It is simply moving electrons. And what exactly are electrons? They are tiny particles found in atoms.
Everything in the universe is made of atoms—every star, every tree, every animal. The human body is made of atoms. Air and water are, too. Atoms are the building blocks of the universe. Atoms are so small that millions of them would fit on the head of a pin.
Atoms are made of even smaller particles. The center of an atom is called the nucleus. It is made of particles called protons and neutrons. The protons and neutrons are very small, but electrons are much, much smaller. Electrons spin around the nucleus in energy levels a great distance from the nucleus. If the nucleus were the size of a tennis ball, the atom would be the size of the Empire State
Building. Atoms are mostly empty space.
Electrons usually remain a relatively constant distance from the nucleus in well defined regions called energy levels. The level closest to the nucleus can hold two electrons. The next level can hold up to eight. The outer levels can hold even more, but the outermost level can hold no more than eight. Some atoms with many protons can have as many as seven levels with electrons in them.
CARBON ATOM
If you could see an atom, it would look a little like a tiny center of balls surrounded by giant invisible clouds (energy levels). The electrons would be on the surface of the clouds, constantly spinning and moving to stay as far away from each other as possible. Electrons are held in their levels by an electrical force.
The protons and electrons of an atom are attracted to each other. They both carry an electrical charge. An electrical charge is a force within the particle. Protons have a positive charge (+) and electrons have a negative charge (-). The positive charge of the protons is equal to the negative charge of the electrons. Opposite
Electricity: The Mysterious Force
What exactly is the mysterious force we call electricity? It is simply moving electrons. And what exactly are electrons? They are tiny particles found in atoms.
Everything in the universe is made of atoms—every star, every tree, every animal. The human body is made of atoms. Air and water are, too. Atoms are the building blocks of the universe. Atoms are so small that millions of them would fit on the head of a pin.
Atoms are made of even smaller particles. The center of an atom is called the nucleus. It is made of particles called protons and neutrons. The protons and neutrons are very small, but electrons are much, much smaller. Electrons spin around the nucleus in energy levels a great distance from the nucleus. If the nucleus were the size of a tennis ball, the atom would be the size of the Empire State
Building. Atoms are mostly empty space.
Electrons usually remain a relatively constant distance from the nucleus in well defined regions called energy levels. The level closest to the nucleus can hold two electrons. The next level can hold up to eight. The outer levels can hold even more, but the outermost level can hold no more than eight. Some atoms with many protons can have as many as seven levels with electrons in them.
CARBON ATOM
If you could see an atom, it would look a little like a tiny center of balls surrounded by giant invisible clouds (energy levels). The electrons would be on the surface of the clouds, constantly spinning and moving to stay as far away from each other as possible. Electrons are held in their levels by an electrical force.
The protons and electrons of an atom are attracted to each other. They both carry an electrical charge. An electrical charge is a force within the particle. Protons have a positive charge (+) and electrons have a negative charge (-). The positive charge of the protons is equal to the negative charge of the electrons. Opposite