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What is Electricity?

learn.sparkfun.com

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Re: What is Electricity?

#41

Post by emcrazyone »

etep wrote: post #35
emcrazyone wrote: post #25

Couldn't read much past the statement: "Electricity is briefly defined as the flow of electric charge, but there’s so much behind that simple statement" Electricity is the force not the flow. The flow is the current. The term, "Electricity" in every college course I had on it in getting my degrees is always the EMF (Electromotive Force). Sorry to nit pick but I just have a real problem when articles are written from…

I disagree with the nitpick. Electricity is not a technical term. In its common usage, it encompasses many effects and broadly invokes many technical concepts, i.e. among them EMF or voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, etc. etc. This article is not written for physicists, engineers, or anyone else so technically trained. If it were, it would read as follows: "Electricity is a vague term used to variously refer t…

What proof do you have the article wasn't written for physicists, engineers or anyone else so technically trained?

This is the basis for not agreeing? If it is, then it seems you drew an assumption then formed an opinon that is contrary to many college level courses, texts, and teachings I've sat through where electricity is carefully described as the force alone.

Re: What is Electricity?

#42

Post by emcrazyone »

nerd_stuff wrote: post #34
emcrazyone wrote: post #25

Couldn't read much past the statement: "Electricity is briefly defined as the flow of electric charge, but there’s so much behind that simple statement" Electricity is the force not the flow. The flow is the current. The term, "Electricity" in every college course I had on it in getting my degrees is always the EMF (Electromotive Force). Sorry to nit pick but I just have a real problem when articles are written from…

To say electricity is roughly the flow of charge looks perfectly fine to me. Opening statement of the wikipedia article on electricity: > Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and flow of electric charge. I doubt the article will steer people wrong. The gravity/e-field analogy is accurate, and they're clear to state that Bohr model of the atom is a useful model while providing a li…

Lol, so if it's on Wikipedia it must be true and accurate. Nice. Hey, if it's on the Internet then it must be true.

I think it is reckless. A lot of young up and coming engineers perhaps use sparkfun for their high school electronics work might read this and come away with incorrect understanding of things making new material confusing or longer to understand.

Re: What is Electricity?

#43

Post by nerd_stuff »

emcrazyone wrote: post #42
nerd_stuff wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

To say electricity is roughly the flow of charge looks perfectly fine to me. Opening statement of the wikipedia article on electricity: > Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and flow of electric charge. I doubt the article will steer people wrong. The gravity/e-field analogy is accurate, and they're clear to state that Bohr model of the atom is a useful model while providing a li…

Lol, so if it's on Wikipedia it must be true and accurate. Nice. Hey, if it's on the Internet then it must be true. I think it is reckless. A lot of young up and coming engineers perhaps use sparkfun for their high school electronics work might read this and come away with incorrect understanding of things making new material confusing or longer to understand.

You think what's reckless? The guy who wrote the article has a degree in Electrical Engineering and the article's great.

EMF is not a force and it's not the only thing the word electricity refers to. I've just checked a physics and an electrical engineering textbook and neither refer to electricity or EMF the way you are. I honestly don't know where you're getting these ideas.

In physics there is a fundamental force sosmetimes called The Electromagnetic Force, and in a sense it does describe all of electricity, but it's not the same thing as The Electromotive Force.

Re: What is Electricity?

#44

Post by LgWoodenBadger »

delinka wrote: post #20
LgWoodenBadger wrote: post #19

is electricity any different than ionized hydrogen?

Absolutely. To be called "hydrogen" (or any element really), a nucleus must be involved. Electron-free nuclei maintain their elemental identities, they're just positively charged and willing to take on electrons. "Electricity" involves moving electrons, which doesn't always require a nucleus (hence "free electrons")

Ok, but hydrogen's nucleus is only a proton...

Re: What is Electricity?

#45

Post by cbd1984 »

emcrazyone wrote: post #41
etep wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree with the nitpick. Electricity is not a technical term. In its common usage, it encompasses many effects and broadly invokes many technical concepts, i.e. among them EMF or voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, etc. etc. This article is not written for physicists, engineers, or anyone else so technically trained. If it were, it would read as follows: "Electricity is a vague term used to variously refer t…

What proof do you have the article wasn't written for physicists, engineers or anyone else so technically trained? This is the basis for not agreeing? If it is, then it seems you drew an assumption then formed an opinon that is contrary to many college level courses, texts, and teachings I've sat through where electricity is carefully described as the force alone.

> What proof do you have the article wasn't written for physicists, engineers or anyone else so technically trained?

It's defining the term 'electricity', for a start.

Re: What is Electricity?

#46

Post by sebkomianos »

ajross wrote: post #32
SunSparc wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So true. If the Egyptians could see what we play with every day, they would be amazed. I imagine there is quite a bit of shock for people in deep jungle/desert tribes that still live in huts when they are introduced to "modern" technology. Magic is probably the best way for them to explain it initially. Of course, "magic", usually just means, "something I do not understand".

Yeah, but that's driven by familiarity not understanding. A median western marketing executive has no better understanding of electrodynamics than your amazonian tribeswoman, yet isn't surprised by the radio in his phone.

Maybe it's also worth clarifying that familiarity doesn't mean or lead to understanding. Sometimes quite the opposite (hint hint: newer generation using smartphones, social networks, etc without understanding them at all and then some from older generations remarking how they can be dangerous and upsetting).
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