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Title: Electricity Defined
Description: Electricity can be defined as the movement of electrons from atom to atom. This can happen only in a conductor. A graphical example is shown in the illustration to the left. The copper atoms only have the valence ring shown. If an excess amount of positive charges, or protons, are placed on the left side, one of the positive atoms will try to pull the outer electron away from the copper atom closest to it.
This action will make the far left copper atom slightly positively charged. This is because there is one more proton than electron in that atom. This positively charged atom will then pull an electron from the one on its right side. This atom then becomes positively charged. Overall, as this action continues to happen, negative charges flow from the right to the left and positive changes flow from the left to the right. Remember, there must be an access amount of protons on the left and electrons on the right for this process to happen. This is similar to the principles of a battery with the positive and negative terminals.
In this example, electrons were flowing from a negative point to a positive point or from the right to the left in the illustration. When electricity is defined this way, it is called the electron theory. However, notice that as this process happens, there are also positive charges moving the opposite way, or from the left to the right. When electricity is defined as flowing from positive to negative direction, it is called the conventional theory. In the automotive field and more specifically, in the street rod industry, this is the way electricity is defined.
Relationship to Street Rods: When setting up all of the electrical circuits in a street rod, it is much easier to analyze the circuits from a conventional theory. For example, let’s say door locks are to be added to the street rod. When this circuit is put into a street rod, it is much easier to think of the electricity flowing from the positive terminal of the battery, through the wires and switches, to the electric door locks, to the frame of the vehicle, and finally back to the negative terminal of the battery. The frame of the vehicle is usually used as a return conductor back to the battery.
Back to Electrical Principles
Description: Electricity can be defined as the movement of electrons from atom to atom. This can happen only in a conductor. A graphical example is shown in the illustration to the left. The copper atoms only have the valence ring shown. If an excess amount of positive charges, or protons, are placed on the left side, one of the positive atoms will try to pull the outer electron away from the copper atom closest to it.
This action will make the far left copper atom slightly positively charged. This is because there is one more proton than electron in that atom. This positively charged atom will then pull an electron from the one on its right side. This atom then becomes positively charged. Overall, as this action continues to happen, negative charges flow from the right to the left and positive changes flow from the left to the right. Remember, there must be an access amount of protons on the left and electrons on the right for this process to happen. This is similar to the principles of a battery with the positive and negative terminals.
In this example, electrons were flowing from a negative point to a positive point or from the right to the left in the illustration. When electricity is defined this way, it is called the electron theory. However, notice that as this process happens, there are also positive charges moving the opposite way, or from the left to the right. When electricity is defined as flowing from positive to negative direction, it is called the conventional theory. In the automotive field and more specifically, in the street rod industry, this is the way electricity is defined.
Relationship to Street Rods: When setting up all of the electrical circuits in a street rod, it is much easier to analyze the circuits from a conventional theory. For example, let’s say door locks are to be added to the street rod. When this circuit is put into a street rod, it is much easier to think of the electricity flowing from the positive terminal of the battery, through the wires and switches, to the electric door locks, to the frame of the vehicle, and finally back to the negative terminal of the battery. The frame of the vehicle is usually used as a return conductor back to the battery.
Back to Electrical Principles
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