What is Electrical: Definition and 1000 Discussions

Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwell's equations. Various common phenomena are related to electricity, including lightning, static electricity, electric heating, electric discharges and many others.
The presence of an electric charge, which can be either positive or negative, produces an electric field. The movement of electric charges is an electric current and produces a magnetic field.
When a charge is placed in a location with a non-zero electric field, a force will act on it. The magnitude of this force is given by Coulomb's law. If the charge moves, the electric field would be doing work on the electric charge. Thus we can speak of electric potential at a certain point in space, which is equal to the work done by an external agent in carrying a unit of positive charge from an arbitrarily chosen reference point to that point without any acceleration and is typically measured in volts.
Electricity is at the heart of many modern technologies, being used for:

Electric power where electric current is used to energise equipment;
Electronics which deals with electrical circuits that involve active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies.Electrical phenomena have been studied since antiquity, though progress in theoretical understanding remained slow until the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The theory of electromagnetism was developed in the 19th century, and by the end of that century electricity was being put to industrial and residential use by electrical engineers. The rapid expansion in electrical technology at this time transformed industry and society, becoming a driving force for the Second Industrial Revolution. Electricity's extraordinary versatility means it can be put to an almost limitless set of applications which include transport, heating, lighting, communications, and computation. Electrical power is now the backbone of modern industrial society.

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  1. jmex

    Electrical arc furnance data

    hello frnz i m aiming to provide a compensation scheme for electrical arc furnance but i don't have practical data to deal with.Is there anyone who could provide me rating of electric arc furnace (KVA rating n power factor).
  2. J

    Resistance & Electrical Circuits

    Hi, I am massively confused with what resistance is and how it applies to circuits and would be very grateful if someone could help. I know this sounds like a basic question but I have been reading for hours and the more I read the less it makes sense. My book says that resistance is 'the...
  3. D

    [College Electrical Engineering/Physics] Waves & Lens

    Homework Statement Show that when a plane wave is transmitted through a thin lens of focal length f in a direction parallel to the axis of the lens, it is converted into a paraboloidal wave (the Fresnel approximation of a spherical wave) centered about a point at a distance f from the lens...
  4. H

    Electrical engineers site work- Notes & requirements

    Hello, I am design electrical engieer, & as part of my job i am responsible to prepare fabrication & detail drawings. However this requires extensive experience in yard & fabrication work, since there is a lot of consumbale items that need previous experience to make the correct details &...
  5. J

    Filtering Noise in Digital PID Controllers: Exploring the Electrical Components

    When speaking of filtering noise of an input or output, are the texts referring to the actual electrical components of a digital pid controller? Capacitors, resistors etc...
  6. M

    Ionization and electrical charges

    Hello, So I assume, ionization occurs, when an electron has enough energy to either overcome the potential (Coulomb) barrier, or tunnel right through it (or can the overcoming of the barrier even be described as a 100% chance of tunneling?). If an alpha particle interacts with an atom, it...
  7. C

    Electrical Resistance (Easy Question)

    Homework Statement A person gains weight by adding fat - and therefore adding girth - to his body and his limbs, with the amount of muscle remaining constant. How will this affect the electrical resistance of his limbs? a. the resistance will stay the same b. the resistance will...
  8. Rectifier

    Which Electrical Circuit Simulator is Recommended for New EE Students?

    Hey! Are there any good softwares for PC that can simulate electrical circuits that you can recommend? /A new EE student.
  9. Q

    MHB Deriving Y-Component of Uniform Electric Rod | E=-▽V

    This is essentially the problem. And this is what I did. Realizing the following: E = -▽V I simply took the derivative in regards to the vertical component, in this case "a". So: -dV/da [the above formulae] And I got the following: Κλl/(a sqrt(l^2+a^2)) Does that seem about right...
  10. A

    Control of electrical equipment via phone/internet

    Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum. I'm only 19 years old but I want to major in Electrical & Electronics engineering. So besides some practical skill I've learned from working with my dad I have a lot to learn especially in terms of theory. During my experience I've heard a few companies...
  11. G

    Electrical Engineering - State Space - Matlab

    Homework Statement \dot{} I'm given the following circuit http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/43/bwka.png Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I come up with the transfer function to be G(s) = \frac{s}{2+\frac{1}{s}}. The question asks me to Plot step...
  12. T

    Electrical Circuits - Linear Algebra

    Homework Statement Here is a picture of the diagram. http://gyazo.com/f1b7051fda5b9e1d3a185c53abde1211 I must use the Gauss Jordan elimination method and solve for X1, X2 and X3 I am having problems setting up my equations Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution...
  13. D

    MHB Setup an Electrical Circuit - Guidance Needed

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  14. S

    Engineering Electrical Engineer: Job Satisfaction, Location, and Family Life

    Hello! I'm looking into getting an electrical engineering degree. I understand that there is a very wide variety of electrical engineers, located all over the world, but my questions are a little more specific. I noticed there's a demand for electrical engineers in Texas and surrounding...
  15. S

    100% Online Electrical Engineering Program

    Good evening (afternoon, morning, depending on where you are), I'm very interested in Arizona State University's Electrical Engineering program. It is one hundred percent online, just like the title says, and the labs are given to the student in kits. The advisers can't give me more...
  16. P

    Electrical charge on Capacitor

    Homework Statement A dc current of 3 A flows through an initially discharged capacitor. After 2 micro s what is the electrical charge on the capacitor? Homework Equations q(t)= integral i(t) dt between t=0 and t The Attempt at a Solution (3t^2)/2=6x10^-12 C. Is this right?
  17. sheldonrocks97

    Engineering Can I be a Video Game Designer with a Degree in Electrical Engineering

    I want to be an electrical engineer or mining engineer when I grow up and I want to get a BS in both of those fields, but I was just wondering if I could get a job as a video game designer with a degree in electrical engineering.
  18. N

    Schools Does Santa Monica College offer Electrical Engineering major?

    Does Santa Monica College offer Electrical Engineering major? If so, do they have strong programs in electrical engineering? If not, then can you suggest me some community colleges that have strong programs in electrical engineering?
  19. D

    AC Voltage from 12V Battery Supply - Get Help Now

    How can I get an AC voltage from a 12volts battery supply? Please help me out.
  20. L

    Magnetism, electrical and thermal conductivity of metals

    1. I would like to test myself on how well I know my information about certain metals, some of them get me a bit puzzled. How would you rate the electrical conductivity of cast iron? Poor, good, excellent or best? Also the thermal conductivity of 304 stainless steel? Poor, good, excellent or...
  21. L

    Magnetism, electrical and thermal conductivity of metals

    I would like to test myself on how well I know my information about certain metals, some of them get me a bit puzzled. How would you rate the electrical conductivity of cast iron? Poor, good, excellent or best? Also the thermal conductivity of 304 stainless steel? Poor, good, excellent...
  22. J

    Electrical engineer interview

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  23. W

    Calculating Ratio of Electrical Current to Light Speed: A Challenge!

    Homework Statement If a 0.505m long wire is excited into its lowest electrical resonance by a 2.2E7 Hz electrical oscillator, what is the ratio of the speed of the electrical current to that of light? Assume that the wire is like a tube with both ends closed. f=2.2E7 L=0.505 v=...
  24. N

    Engineering Do electrical engineers only work with circuits?

    My question is just like my title. Do electrical engineers do anything besides circuit work? Because I would like to learn more about guys career but circuits is all I find.
  25. R

    Engineering Electrical: R-L Circuit issues

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  26. T

    General topology of a two terminal electrical device

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  27. cpscdave

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  28. Philosophaie

    Electrical Field around Spherical Ball at origin

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  29. J

    Engineering Is the Unknown Circuit Component a Resistor or a Voltage Source?

    Homework Statement The circuit has an unknown component that is a resistor or a voltage source, find which one it is and it's value. Homework Equations V=IR, KVL, KCL The Attempt at a Solution I first used KVL on the outer loop: 14-2I1-10=0 I1=2A Then on the...
  30. M

    How Much Energy and Money Does Switching to a Compact Fluorescent Lamp Save?

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  31. P

    Rotational mechanical systems and electrical analogs.

    Hi, Homework Statement Upon converting rotational mechanical components into their electrical analogs, one thing in particular baffles me. When is a rotational component converted into two sets of dependent sources and when is it converted into a single set? Let me try and clarify my question...
  32. I

    Phd in Electrical Engineering?

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  33. S

    Engineering Electrical Engineering degree?

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  34. G

    Electrical Engineering - FET Common Source Configuration with Load

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  35. G

    Engineering Electrical Engineering - Circuits - FET Transistor - Voltage Divider

    Homework Statement Find the voltage gain A_{v} http://imageshack.com/a/img692/3117/qkwp.png Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Is this the correct small signal equivalent? http://imageshack.com/a/img203/5812/1yfe.png I'm trying to find the output impedance...
  36. N

    Engineering Work Environment of an Electrical Engineer

    One thing I always enjoyed about doing work is working with your hands and getting "dirty" so to say. I like putting in a hard day's work that has a physical aspect to it. But I also really like doing the math and thinking critically and solving hard and complex problems using a more mental and...
  37. N

    Electrical energy production question

    Homework Statement If all the solid waste of 230 million tonnes were burned in waste-to-energy power plants that are 20% efficient, a) how many kilowatt-hours of electrical energy could be produced in a year? Compare this quantity with the total U.S. electrical energy production of...
  38. P

    Engineering Mechanical problems converted into electrical circuits.

    Hi, Homework Statement Attached (Q1,Q2) are two mechanical systems I am asked to convert into analogous electrical circuits. In Q2, it was stated that B4 is the friction between each of the three masses and the surface. Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution Attached (Q1 -...
  39. J

    Engineering What are some common topics covered in electrical engineering courses?

    So I am at the point in my electrical engineering degree where I get to choose electives, but because I feel like I'm not fully familiar with the classes I can choose from.. I've got a few questions: 1. what is radio systems about? Google tells me its about FM/AM radio broadcasts 2. do...
  40. wilsont23274

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    Hello! When I was young, I had absolutely no issues with Math. We moved to a different state that was much further behind on their coursework and as such when we moved back 5 years later, I was very behind. English and Social Studies were easy to catch up on because...well...I never really have...
  41. H

    Engineering Niche jobs for Electrical Engineers?

    I'm wondering what are some 'niche jobs' or niche markets for Electrical Engineers? The kind of jobs that will always be in demand. I've heard that RF Engineers are always in demand, that there's a short supply and such...but what other fields are there within Electrical Engineering?
  42. G

    Engineering Electrical Engineering - Circuits - Transistors

    Homework Statement Given the configuration below http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/3364/c5e8.png Find A_{V} and A_{I} Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I start off by drawing the small signal equivalent r_{e} model. http://imageshack.us/a/img268/7201/9e.png I start off by...
  43. C

    Copper vs Aluminum Wires: Cost & Electrical Applications

    If electrons flow on the surface of a wire, why isn't copper coated aluminum wire used in electrical applications instead of solid copper wire? It would be more cost effective
  44. G

    Engineering Electrical Engineering - Circuits - Darlington Configuration

    Homework Statement Determine A_{V} and A_{i} given β_{D} = 8000 and V_{BE} = 1.6 V. http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/6272/44tv.png Homework Equations The Attempt at a Solution I'm not exactly sure how to solve this problem. This is a problem that my professor solved in class. The only...
  45. D

    Engineering Computer Engineering versus Electrical Engineering

    I am currently at the point where I am deciding what major to apply for for university and have narrowed my choices down to these two majors. However, I am torn on which one to choose. I am interested both in the design of chips for computers, missiles, etc. but also in some of the...
  46. T

    Should I remain in Electrical Engineering?

    Hello everyone! I am a freshman in electrical engineering and scheduling for next semester is coming up. I chose EE because I loved physics in high school and wanted to go into engineering and had to pick a field at the last minute. The idea of studying applied E&M was/is fascinating. I am...
  47. S

    Does the vacuum of space have finite electrical resistance?

    Air typically has a very high but non zero resistance. Given that air is just a medium, and that space is also just a medium, does the vacuum of space have a fundamental constant of electrical resistance, or is the electrical resistance of space truly infinite? How is this proven one way or the...
  48. G

    Unknown Piece of Electrical Equipment (pics) Identify

    Greetings all, I need some help identifying a piece of electrical equipment for work.. I myself am a mechanical engineer and have never seen something like this. I have attached pictures below. http://imgur.com/a/J0B8H My initial thoughts was that it was some kind of loadbank or...
  49. P

    Electrical repuls./attract. btwn uniform charge density and object

    Homework Statement Imagine that you've been invited to try out a new "hoversuit," and here's how it works: Someone has set up a large flat sheet, many kilometers across, somewhere on the Earth, and they've charged the sheet up to a uniform charge density σ = +2 x 10^-6 C/m^2. You are...
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