By: Ryan Beuttel
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Electricity makes your life at home easier and
safer, no cooking over a fire, no lanterns for light,
heating and cooling for comfort, and it powers
entertainment such as TV and the Internet.
Industry relies on electricity to drive machinery
that in the past would have been powered by
people, animals, or perhaps a steam engine. The
electric machinery is more reliable, cleaner, and
safer than manually or engine driven machines.
A world without electricity would be a dark,
smelly, dangerous place with many more
dangerous jobs, like the US or England before the
Industrial Revolution.
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Ben Franklin is often credited with the
discovery because he proved lightning is a
form of electricity.
Electricity, however, was known as early
as 600 BC in Ancient Greece, it was known
that Amber became charged when rubbed.
An Englishman, William Gilbert, in 1600
described the phenomenon of
Electrification and used the word
‘Electricity’ for the first time.
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Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) is widely known
for discovering electricity in 1752.
Franklin is best known for his many inventions
and for flying a kite in a thunderstorm (this is
how he “discovered” electricity).
He was famous during his lifetime, for being
one of the Founding Fathers of the USA, an
educated scientist, and a statesman.
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Electricity is defined as “A physical
phenomenon associated with stationary or
moving protons and electrons,” or “energy
made available by the flow of electric current
through a conductor.”
Today, most of us know it as the energy source
that powers appliances and lightbulbs.
There are many types of electricity, such as
lightning and static electricity.
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Some species of animals (like the electric eel)
generate it naturally.
It can also be generated cleanly by solar, wind,
and water (hydroelectric).
Most of it is generated in power plants that burn
coal, natural gas, or oil. The burning of these
fuels release heat, which generally makes steam
that turns a turbine/generator set.
It can also be generated in a nuclear power plant,
where heat energy comes from “splitting the
atom”.
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Large cities use it to make the night bright.
We use it to light our homes and help us
cook and keep things cold.
It can also be used as a source of heat and
cooling.
Industry uses electricity to operate
factories and drive machinery.
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Electricity is also used to power cars, although
electric cars take awhile to fully charge.
They’re also quite expensive.
Powers technology: computers, printers,
servers.
Powers household appliances, televisions,
radios, and iPods.
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The answer to that is: Yes. Not so much the
electricity itself, but the generation of it and the
devices that it powers can harm the environment.
Some ways to get electricity can help pollute, like
burning coal at power plants. This gives off
“greenhouse gases” like CO2, which contributes to
global warming.
In some large cities, no starlight can be seen.
This form of pollution is called light pollution.
Bright lights can cause some nocturnal species to
be out at abnormal hours, causing them to act
strange, and possibly die, if out repeatedly.
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Some minerals can generate electricity (like
quartz ), as long as the temperature is right.
Electricity was a DISCOVERY, not an
invention.
Can reduce the risk of fire in homes and in
buildings.
For some weird reason, large quantities of
electricity, unlike other forms of energy, can’t
be stored;(small amounts can be stored in
batteries or in small devices called capacitors)
A kilowatt-hour is how electricity is measured.
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The lightning rod and the light bulb are possibly the
most important inventions that are useful for
electricity.
Lightning rods were developed to protect buildings
from lighting strikes. They were invented by Ben
Franklin.
Light bulbs were a way to harness electricity to use as a
light. Thomas Edison invented them. Light bulbs also
give off a tiny amount of heat, and were discovered
while Mr. Edison was looking for new types of heaters.
Today, we have several types of lightbulbs; some of
which (LED and compact fluorescent) use much less
energy to produce the same amount of light
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The cost is different for how it’s used. For
example, a 100 watt light bulb costs about
$0.50 per month.
Depending on how you use it, you could
get a huge bill (unless you have solar
panels to generate your own electricity).
Another factor that determines how much
electricity costs is how it’s made. Solar
power is a clean way to generate it, but it’s
expensive (and not available at night!).
Burning coal is much less expensive, but it
pollutes the atmosphere.
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The cost of electricity depends on where you
live, how much of it you use, and even when
you use it. Different tasks add to the amount
you use, like laundry, fridge and freezer,
cooking, etc…
Many power plants generate electricity, most of
which is sold.
If you keep your TV on for at least 8 hours a
day, you add close to $4.80 to your electric bill.
Some studies show that it costs between $7-$17
to run the refridgerator each month.
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Electricity is generated in power plants.
Next, it goes through power cables.
These cables can go above or below ground.
The electricity runs through the power cables
and makes it into homes and other buildings.
Underground transmission has high
disadvantages, like taking days or weeks to fix
if they break. But, you don’t have to see huge
power lines.
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In 2008, approximately $3.4 TRILLION dollars
worth of electricity was sold in the United States.
The average kilowatt hour cost was about $0.12.
In PA, as part of “Deregulation” after January 1st,
2010, each home can choose their electricity
‘Generation’ supplier (your local company will still
handle transmission, customer service, and billing)
As part of deregulation, most Pennsylvanians will
see cost increases of 20-30%
Alternative suppliers include PP&L, Dominion
Energy, and others
THE END