What is Electricity?
The science behind how electricity works
6 minute read • Last update May 2026
What is electricity?
Electricity is the movement or flow of electrons, the negatively charged particles around the nuclei of atoms. Electricity is both a naturally occurring phenomenon and man-made source of power or energy.
- Electricity occurs in nature as lightning in the atmosphere, as well as within biologic organisms.
- Humans create electricity as a second source of energy because it is generated by converting a primary source of energy, such as wind, water, coal, oil, natural gas, sunlight, or nuclear energy into electrical energy.
When power plants generate electricity, the process forces the movement of electrons between atoms and that forced movement is what allows us to generate, harness, and distribute electricity to homes and businesses.
How and why electrons move to create electricity
To understand how and why the movement of electrons creates electricity, you have to understand the makeup of an atom.
All matter, whether solid, liquid, or gas, is composed of atoms.
Atoms are the building blocks of the universe, and within them reside even smaller particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.
- Atoms are made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
- Protons are positively charged particles.
- Neutrons are neutral particles without a charge.
- Electrons are negatively charged particles.
- The center or core of an atom is called a nucleus, where protons and neutrons reside. The nucleus holds the atom’s mass and stability.
- Electrons and protons have opposite charges, and thus, are attracted to each other.
- Electrons rotate around the nucleus, but they are not always bound to the same atom. They can move from atom to atom.
In contrast to the densely packed nucleus, electrons orbit the nucleus at varying energy levels, or “shells.” Electrons are negatively charged, and their movement around the nucleus forms a dynamic cloud of negative charge that balances the positive charge of the protons within the nucleus.
The electrons further from the nucleus have the weakest connection to the nucleus. Because the attraction to the protons is weaker in the outer layers, those electrons can be pushed from one atom to another.
It’s the behavior of these electrons that is central to the creation of electric current. When electrons are set in motion—either by an external force like a voltage source or by changes in energy levels within the atom—a flow of electric charge is generated. This movement of electrons is what we refer to as an electric current.
What are different types of electricity?
There are two types or behavioral forms of electricity that exist: static electricity and current electricity.
What is static electricity?
Static electricity results from the buildup of electrical charges on an object’s surface, which can be caused by friction or contact between different materials.
When this charge buildup is released, it can cause a spark or shock as the electrons jump to a nearby object with a lower charge.
Static electricity shows up in nature as lightning.
What is current electricity?
Current electricity is the flow of electrical charges through a conductor, such as a wire.
For an electric current to flow through a material, it requires a conductive pathway.
Conductive materials, such as metals like copper and aluminum, possess atoms that allow electrons to move freely within their structures.
There are two types of current electricity: direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC).
- In DC, the flow of electrical charges is constant and unidirectional.
- In AC, the flow of charges alternates direction periodically.
How to generate an electric current
Electricity is generated by harnessing a primary energy source, such as sunlight, wind energy, water or hydro energy, nuclear energy, coal, oil, or natural gas, and converting that energy into kinetic or motion energy to rotate a turbine around a set of magnets.
The magnets move around a coil of conductive material, like a metal wire, which causes electrons to start jumping from atom to atom – an electric current.
How electricity makes it to your home
In Texas, the path electricity takes to your home can seem complicated.
Let’s simplify the journey:
- Natural gas power plants, nuclear power plants, solar farms, wind farms, and hydroelectric power plants generate electricity
- Electricity travels on high-voltage power lines to substations in cities and neighborhoods
- Electricity travels from substations through smaller local lines to the meter on your home to power your HVAC system, lightbulbs, and other appliances
In the background, your electricity provider is purchasing wholesale electricity on your behalf and your regional utility company is managing the infrastructure that delivers the power to your home.
How is electricity measured?
Electricity can be measured in volts, amps, watts, joules, and ohms.
Let’s dive into the difference between each of these measurements.
What is the difference between volts, amps, watts, joules, and ohms?
- Volts: Volts measure the the “pressure” or “push” that drives electricity through a conductive material like a wire. Higher voltage means there is more force pushing the electricity through the conductor.
- Amps: Amps measure the current or how much electricity is actually flowing. For example, a phone charger draws a lower current than an electric stove.
- Ohms: Ohms measure the resistance of the conductive material where the electricity current is flowing. Copper wire is a good conductor, so it has less resistance than rubber, which has high resistance to electricity.
- Watts: Watts measure the rate at which energy is used. A microwave in your kitchen could use 600 watts while it heats your popcorn.
- Joules: Joules measure the amount of energy that is used or consumed. If a microwave uses 600 watts and it runs for 30 seconds, then it has used 18,000 joules because one watt per second equals one joule.
Electricity consumption on your bill is measured using a function of watts of over time — kilowatt hours. Let’s look at a typical lightbulb for a real-life example.
- A 60 watt bulb is turned on for 10 hours
- That is equal to 60 watts times 10 hours, or 600 watt-hours
- 1000 watts is equal to 1 kilowatt
- 600 watt-hours equals 0.6 kilowatt-hours (kWh)
When was electricity discovered?
Because we’ve only utilized electricity to power lights and appliances (and more) since the late 1800s, it may come as a surprise that humans have known about electricity for thousands of years.
- The ancient Greeks observed the attractive properties of amber around 600 BC, an early hint at the existence of static electricity.
- Benjamin Franklin’s 1752 kite experiment established the link between lightning and electricity, a crucial discovery in electrical science.
- Alessandro Volta’s creation of the voltaic pile in 1800 marked the birth of the chemical battery, providing a continuous source of electric current.
- Michael Faraday’s experiments on electromagnetic induction in the 19th century laid the foundation for our understanding of how changing magnetic fields generate electric currents.
These milestones set the stage for the subsequent explosion of knowledge and technological advancement in the field of electricity.
What the future holds for electricity
As look past current electricity facts and into the future, these predictions about the future of electricity might come to fruition:
Decentralized energy production
In the future, we could see a shift from large, centralized power plants to smaller, distributed energy production systems. More homes and businesses may generate their own electricity through solar panels, wind turbines, and other renewable sources, leading to a more decentralized and resilient energy grid.
Energy storage breakthroughs
As renewable energy sources become more prevalent, efficient energy storage solutions will become crucial. Breakthroughs in battery technology, such as solid-state batteries or flow batteries, could provide longer-lasting and more efficient energy storage, enabling a greater reliance on renewable energy.
Smart grids
Advanced technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and IoT will revolutionize the way electricity is distributed and consumed. Smart grids will be able to predict and respond to changes in demand, optimize energy distribution, and integrate seamlessly with renewable energy sources.
Electrification of transportation
Electric vehicles (EVs) are already on the rise, and this trend is expected to continue. In the future, we may see a fully electrified transportation sector, including not only passenger cars but also buses, trucks, and even ships. This shift could dramatically reduce emissions and pollution from transportation.
Wireless energy transmission
While wireless charging for small devices is already a reality, future advancements in technology may enable long-distance wireless energy transmission. This could eliminate the need for power lines and make it easier to bring electricity to remote and inaccessible areas.
Hydrogen economy
Hydrogen has the potential to become a significant energy carrier in the future, as it can be produced from renewable energy sources and used in fuel cells to generate electricity. A hydrogen economy could provide a sustainable and efficient way to store and transport energy.
Nuclear fusion
Although nuclear fusion has been elusive for decades, breakthroughs in this field could provide a virtually limitless and clean energy source. Fusion reactors would produce minimal radioactive waste and could revolutionize the way we generate electricity.
Global electrification
As technology improves and becomes more affordable, electricity could become accessible to millions of people currently living without it. This would have a profound impact on global development, improving education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for countless individuals.
Energy efficiency improvements
Future advancements in technology and materials science may lead to significant gains in energy efficiency. Energy-efficient appliances, smart buildings, and better insulation could reduce energy consumption and decrease our overall carbon footprint.
Flexible energy markets
As more players enter the energy market, from individual homeowners with solar panels to large corporations investing in renewable energy, the dynamics of energy markets could change. Peer-to-peer energy trading and dynamic pricing models could become more prevalent, giving consumers more control over their energy consumption and costs.
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