The great science of electrical engineering is entirely built on one negative particle, which is called the electron in the world. It is the flow of electrons that is more simply called electric current, flows through the wires, and gives people the much needed light and electricity.
What is an atom and what elements does it consist of
Before moving on to the electron, it is necessary to deal with such a particle as an atom. Any atom is part of a molecule of which all living and nonliving objects on the planet are composed. For quite a long time, the atom was considered an indivisible object, but practice showed somewhat different results. An example of this is the nuclear reaction at nuclear power plants.
An atom consists of the following elements:
- Protons.
- Neutrons.
- Electrons.
Protons and neutrons form the nucleus of an atom around which electrons revolve. As an analogy, we can cite a model of the solar system, where the core is the sun and the electrons are the planets. Protons are positively charged, electrons are negative, and neutrons are neutral and have no charge.
Free electrons
Not all electrons in an atom constantly revolve around its nucleus. There are free negative particles located in the far orbits of the atom, which can be separated from it under the influence of electrical forces. By applying the required voltage (potential difference), you can create a directional movement of electrons - an electric current.
Important! Many people ask the question: why does the chemical composition of an element not change if free electrons are transferred to neighboring atoms? Because not electrons, but protons are responsible for the integrity of a chemical element.
You should know that by giving additional acceleration to electrons, X-rays are generated, which is so necessary in the diagnosis of the human body.
What are dielectrics and conductors?
In order to understand the concept of dielectrics and conductors, one should recall the peculiarity of free electrons to move between the orbits of different atoms.
- A conductor is a body in which a certain number of atoms with free electrons in their distant orbits. Conductors are good for electric current and do not obstruct the path of free electrons.
- Dielectrics are bodies without free electrons. Dielectrics cannot pass electric current.
The most popular electrical conductor is copper. Almost all modern wiring in apartments and houses is made of copper wires. But this metal does not have perfect conductivity, for example, technical silver and gold have higher rates in this regard.
And the most popular dielectric should include what is around each person, namely... air. Air does not have a permeability, which is why a short circuit does not occur between high-voltage wires located at a certain distance from each other.