For EE.SE purposes, the creation (battery/generator/solar cells), storage, control and transmission of electrons. This can be broken down into sub-topics such as voltage, current, reactance and ohms. These can be broken down into more sub-topics such as electromagnets, coronas, heat, ESR, EMF. This excerpt just touches on all the endless fields electrons are involved in, including physics.
Questions tagged [electricity]
394 questions
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Why don't electrons take the shorter path in coils?
Below is a copper coil, presumably forming an electromagnet. From my understanding the electrons travel around the coil to produce a magnetic field. But why don't the electrons jump the wires and take the shortest path?
Below I tried to draw the…
rrswa
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Why can the regenerative brakes of the Oslo Metro only share energy with other trains if they are "nearby"?
I read on Wikipedia that the Oslo Metro has regenerative braking, but no batteries to store the energy. Therefore, the energy can only be utilized if there is another train "nearby" to utilize the energy.
How far is "nearby"?
Due to the bottleneck…
Fiksdal
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What is the speed of "electricity"?
In a distribution grid, what is the speed of
energy
signal
Is it strictly the same?
And how is synchronisation achieved? Is an electric grid essentially an orchestra where everyone is the chief and gives the beat to everyone?
curiousguy
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Where exactly does the power company cut my power when I fail to pay my electric bill?
I only have a somewhat vague understanding how the electrical grid works. I know the basics of energy production, and that the electricity comes to our homes using power lines resting upon those big supports we see everywhere. I would imagine the…
S. Rotos
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Why do computer graphic cards use 8 pin (4 positive and 4 negative wires) connector instead of connector with only single positive and negative wire?
I've always wondered why computer graphic cards use an 8 pin (4 positive and 4 negative wires) connector instead of a connector with only a single positive and negative wire.
loki floki
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What, exactly, is voltage?
I'm 15 and recently started electronics and I'm having trouble understanding voltage.
I've read so many articles and watched so many videos about voltage and they all give different answers. Some of them say that voltage is like pressure, others say…
JamesM
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4 answers
Why is the neutral pin hotter than the live pin?
I frequently use an Immersion Rod Water Heater (shown below) and I have noticed that the after unplugging the heater, the neutral pin of the 3 pin plug is quite hot (about 5 degrees more - but not very hot) compared to the live pin. How is this…
ilyas
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Why are circuits considered loops?
So, I know that when you're talking about something like a circuit that includes a battery, a circuit LOOKS like a loop, but that's merely because of the fact that the power supply is physically close to the output.
However, this doesn't have to be…
dudewad
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Will using a resistor in series with a LED to control its voltage increase the total energy expenditure?
This might sound like a stupid question, but I want a confirmation. I watched a video on Youtube about using LEDs. Those LEDs required a voltage around 2 volts at 20 mA.
In order to power one LED using a 5 volts power supply, the author used a…
Winston
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15
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What is this electric thing, hanging on an electric pole?
Recently I found this plastic thing on a pillar in the village:
Looks like it is not finally connected yet, just attached with tape to the pillar.
What is it's purpose?
4 cables go down to this thing:
Dims
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Does coiling and straightening a wire change its resistance?
I’m looking to make my own kiln coils and I wanted to know
why are the coils coiled?
When the coils are stretched too far apart they run cold and when they are close together they run hot. What is the reason for this if resistance doesn’t change…
Wes
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Why is there no net current in a wire without a voltage applied?
Atoms of materials with loosely bound outermost electrons constantly exchange charges between each other over time, and these materials are called conductors. Now, the conducting process is different from the one often described in the electrical…
Nina Vladimirova
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14
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How to stop plastic granules sticking to the iron wall of their silo?
In our factory, we have some large (8 meters tall and 3 meters in diameters) iron silos for storing the plastic compounding material. Every time the silos are getting unloaded from the granules, the plastic powders stick to the inner metal layer due…
Farzin Karimi
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If electrons move slowly in an electrical circuit then what signal or energy is it that travels at the speed of light?
I am reading "Radio Theory Handbook" and am confused with the statement that says that electrons are moving through the wire at snails pace.But it goes on to say the "electrical effect" is instantaneous. I assume he means the speed of light. Then…
Sedumjoy
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Why is electricity consumption billed in watts and not amperes?
Basically the subject. Why would companies bill for wattage instead of amperes?
A. Munir
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