What is Electricity?
Electricity is ENERGY. Energy is the ability to do work.
Where does electricity start?
At the POWER PLANT! Electricity is created by wire coils spinning inside big magnets causing electrons to "get excited" and make electricity. Electricity travels down thick wire to a power transformer that makes the power stronger for it long trip over the transmission lines.
What does it do next?
It travels down TRANSMISSION LINES. The strength of electricity is measured in VOLTS. From the POWER PLANT electricity is at 700,000 VOLTS. Transmission lines take the electricity to substations. At the substation, electricity can be made stronger if it got weaker during its long trip down the transmission lines. Also, voltage is reduced to 7-12,000 volts to allow it to travel down smaller wires called DISTRIBUTION LINES to homes and businesses. |
What happens when the distribution line gets to a home, school, or business which needs electricity?
A TRANSFORMER at the building reduces electricity to 120 or 240 volts. Three lines (2 active and 1 neutral or ground) go in a cable that goes to your meter box and into the building. The METER measures how much electricity is used at the building.
How does electricity get into the building so we can use it?
Electricity travels through wires behind the walls to electric outlets. The electricity waits there to go to work. As soon as a plug from an appliance is put into the outlet, the electricity can travel down the cord and into the appliance to make it work.
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