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An electric current is a flow of charged particles, such as electrons or ions, moving through an electrical conductor or space. It is defined as the net rate of flow of electric charge through a surface. [1]: 2 [2]: 622 The moving particles are called charge carriers, which may be one of several types of particles, depending on the conductor.
Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwell's equations.
Today the vast majority of publications no longer refer to electricity as meaning electric charge. Instead they speak of electricity as electromagnetic energy. The definition has drifted even further, and many authors now use the word electricity to mean electric current , energy flow , electrical potential , or electric force. Others refer to ...
The abbreviations AC and DC are often used to mean simply alternating and direct, respectively, as when they modify current or voltage. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] The usual waveform of alternating current in most electric power circuits is a sine wave , whose positive half-period corresponds with positive direction of the current and vice versa (the full ...
Ancient Greek philosopher Thales of Miletus described static electricity by rubbing fur on substances such as amber. 1600: English scientist William Gilbert coined the word electricus after careful experiments. He also explained the magnetism of Earth. 1660: German scientist Otto von Guericke invented a device that creates static electricity ...
Franklin's theory is also notable, because it is the first theory that viewed electricity as the accumulation of 'charge' from elsewhere, rather than an excitation of the matter already present in an object. [6] Franklin's theory also provides the basis for conventional current, the thinking of electricity as being the movement of positive ...
Electric power is the rate of transfer of electrical energy within a circuit.Its SI unit is the watt, the general unit of power, defined as one joule per second.Standard prefixes apply to watts as with other SI units: thousands, millions and billions of watts are called kilowatts, megawatts and gigawatts respectively.
The electric field sends the electron to the p-type material, and the hole to the n-type material. If an external current path is provided, electrical energy will be available to do work. The electron flow provides the current, and the cell's electric field creates the voltage. With both current and voltage the silicon cell has power.