Using Electricity

Electricity provides power to many appliances, such as ovens, fans, and lamps. However, each appliance uses the electricity in different ways. They do this by changing the electrical energy into other forms of energy, such as heat, motion, or light.

Heat energy

Electricity powers an oven by providing electrical energy to heat a “heating element”. Then the heating element radiates² thermal energy to cook or bake food. The heating element is usually made of metal that has high resistance to electricity. (Resistance means it slows the flow of the electricity.) The resistance causes the heating element to warm up. The heat can be controlled through various means, such as a thermostat. The thermostat measures the temperature inside the oven and then turns the heating element on or off.

Motion energy

Electricity powers a fan by providing electrical energy to a motor. Then the motor turns the fan to move the air. Inside the motor, there are wire coils and magnets. The electrical current flows through the wire coils. It creates a magnetic field that interacts with the magnets. This causes them to rotate. The rotational motion is then transferred to the fan, causing it to spin and move air. The speed can be controlled by changing the amount of electrical current flowing through the motor.

Light energy

Electricity powers a light bulb by providing electrical energy to a filament (a thin piece of wire like a string). Inside the bulb, the thin filament resists the flow of electricity. This resistance causes the filament to heat up to a very high temperature. The heat makes the filament glow. The amount of light depends on its temperature. This can be controlled by changing the amount of electrical current flowing through it.

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² To radiate means to spread out in all directions from a particular point.