Need explanation on how electrons and electricity work

In summary, the conversation discusses the topic of electricity and electrons in physics. The speaker is a new member and asks questions about the subject as they have trouble understanding it. They ask about the movement of electrons, the need for free electrons in conductors, the stability of non-conductive materials, and the reason why some materials get positive or negative charges when rubbed. The conversation also mentions how the charge on a ruler eventually dissipates due to its surroundings.
  • #1
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Hey guys
I'm a new member and I will be mostly asking questions :P
Anyways ...
Physics subjects in my school are about electricity now and my teachers aren't very good, so I can't clearly understand what they're saying.
To get to the bottom line, our lesson was about electrons and electricity.
I understand that when I rub a ruler on my hair - for example - it would be charged and therefore it can attract scraps of paper.
My questions are :
1.Where do electrones go in the ruler ?
2.Free electrones that conduct electricity, does the atom need them ? if not then why did the atom take them in the first place ?
3.Non-conductive materials such as wood, as I understood they don't conduct electricity because their atoms need to be filled with electrones so they can be stable, is that right ? If so, are atoms in the Non-conductive materials unstable ? and shouldn't they after awhile of charging they will be full and will therefore conduct electricity ?
4.Some materials when rubbed will get positive charges and some will get negative, why ?
5.After charging a ruler it would attract for a few minutes then it will stop, why ?
Could someone please explain everything to me ?
Thanks.
 
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  • #2
1.Where do electrones go in the ruler ?
To your hair (or maybe the other way round, I do not know), so your hair gets charged a bit, too.

2.Free electrones that conduct electricity, does the atom need them ? if not then why did the atom take them in the first place ?
Define "need".
An uncharged atom has the same number of protons (positive charge) and electrons (negative charge). However, especially in solid objects, you can remove or add electrons - this requires some energy, but it is possible. The number of removed or added electrons per atom is usually extremely small - your ruler might have something like one additional (or one missing) electron per 1 trillion atoms.

3.Non-conductive materials such as wood, as I understood they don't conduct electricity because their atoms need to be filled with electrones so they can be stable, is that right ?
No. But the electrons are bound to their atoms, and it requires a lot of energy to remove an electron from an atom (or add one).

If so, are atoms in the Non-conductive materials unstable ? and shouldn't they after awhile of charging they will be full and will therefore conduct electricity ?
See question 2: The amount of electrons you can add as electrostatic charges is extremely small. Every solid object (and even gas) is a conductor, but some of them are really bad.

4.Some materials when rubbed will get positive charges and some will get negative, why ?
That is a very good question, and there is still research ongoing about this question. The general idea is that for some materials, it is easier (requires less energy) to take additional electrons, while other materials tend to give away electrons.

5.After charging a ruler it would attract for a few minutes then it will stop, why ?
Nothing is a perfect insulator, so the ruler slowly loses its charge via your hand, paper, the air and whatever else is close to it.
 
  • #3
2.Free electrones that conduct electricity, does the atom need them ? if not then why did the atom take them in the first place.
It should be worth noting that to be an atom, it needs the same number of electrons as it has protons and thus has no charge, and if it loses or gains elctrons, the atom becomes an ion (effectively a charged atom). conductors are usually metal, and the bonds in metal are electrostatic - between the positive metal ions, and the delocalised electrons that are 'released' when the atom becomes an ion.
 
  • #4
Ok thanks guys :)
 
  • #5


Hello! I would be happy to provide an explanation of how electrons and electricity work.

First, let's start with the basics. An atom is made up of tiny particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons. Protons have a positive charge, neutrons have no charge, and electrons have a negative charge. These charges are what make up electricity.

When you rub a ruler on your hair, the friction between the two materials causes electrons to transfer from your hair to the ruler. This creates an imbalance of positive and negative charges on the ruler, making it "charged."

Now, to answer your questions:

1. Where do electrons go in the ruler?
When you rub the ruler on your hair, some of the electrons from your hair transfer to the ruler. These electrons move from atom to atom within the ruler, creating a charge imbalance.

2. Free electrons that conduct electricity, does the atom need them? If not, then why did the atom take them in the first place?
Atoms do not necessarily need electrons to function, but they do need them to create electricity. Electrons are able to move freely within certain materials, such as metals, making them good conductors of electricity. The atoms in these materials "take in" extra electrons to maintain a balance of positive and negative charges.

3. Non-conductive materials such as wood, as I understood they don't conduct electricity because their atoms need to be filled with electrons so they can be stable, is that right? If so, are atoms in the non-conductive materials unstable? And shouldn't they, after a while of charging, be full and therefore conduct electricity?
Non-conductive materials, also known as insulators, do not conduct electricity because their atoms do not allow for the movement of electrons. This does not mean that the atoms are unstable, they simply have a different arrangement of electrons that do not allow for the flow of electricity. Even if these materials were to gain extra electrons, they would still not conduct electricity.

4. Some materials when rubbed will get positive charges and some will get negative, why?
This is due to the difference in their ability to hold onto electrons. Materials with a stronger attraction to electrons will gain negative charges when rubbed, while those with a weaker attraction will gain positive charges.

5. After charging a ruler, it will attract for a few minutes then it will stop, why?
This is because the charge on the ruler eventually dissipates, or spreads out, into the surrounding
 

1. How do electrons move in an electrical circuit?

In an electrical circuit, electrons flow from a negatively charged area to a positively charged area. This movement is caused by the difference in potential energy between the two areas, and is known as an electric current.

2. What is the role of electrons in electricity?

Electrons are the fundamental particles that carry electric charge. In electricity, they are responsible for creating an electric field and generating an electric current when they move from one place to another.

3. How do electrons carry electrical energy?

Electrons carry electrical energy by transferring it from one electron to another in a chain reaction. As they move through a conductor, they bump into other electrons and transfer their energy, creating an electric current.

4. What is the difference between conductors and insulators in terms of electrons?

Conductors allow electrons to flow freely through them, whereas insulators do not. This is because conductors have loosely bound electrons that are able to move around, while insulators have tightly bound electrons that cannot easily move.

5. How do electrons create an electric charge?

Electrons have a negative charge, which means that when they accumulate in an area, they create an electric charge. This can happen when electrons are transferred from one object to another, such as through friction or contact with another charged object.

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