What Is Electricity? The Flow of Charged Particles

Electricity is the movement of tiny charged particles—mostly electrons—through a conductor like a wire.
Electrons carry a negative charge and flow when pushed by a force called voltage.
Protons also have charge, but they stay fixed in the atom’s nucleus, unlike mobile electrons.
The direction of current is conventionally defined as positive to negative, even though electrons move the opposite way.
Metals like copper and aluminum are good electrical conductors because their electrons move freely.
Batteries create electricity by using chemical reactions to push electrons around a circuit.
Power plants generate electricity by converting mechanical energy (like spinning turbines) into electron flow.
Electricity travels close to the speed of light in wires, but electrons themselves drift slowly.
Static electricity happens when charges build up on surfaces and discharge in sudden sparks.
From lightning bolts to smartphone screens, electricity powers both nature’s spectacles and modern life.