Electric Charge

Atoms

To understand electricity, we need to start with understanding atoms. Atoms are the smallest unit of matter. Everything around us, animate and inanimate objects, visible and invisible matter (solids, liquids, and gases), is composed of atoms. An atom itself is made up of three even smaller particles referred to as subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons.

All subatomic particles have a physical property known as electric charge. The electric charge can be positive, negative, or neutral. Protons carry a positive electric charge, electrons carry a negative electric charge, and neutrons have a neutral charge, they are neither positive nor negative. Like charges repel each other and unlike charges attract each other.

The center of an atom is called the nucleus, which is made up of protons and neutrons. The electrons move in orbits (referred to as shells) around the nucleus. Since they carry a negative charge, they are bound to the nucleus by an electrical force of attraction with the protons, which carry a positive charge.

Electrons move in multiple shells at varying distances from the nucleus. The electrons in the shells closest to the nucleus have a strong force of attraction to the protons, while the electrons in the outer ones have a lesser force of attraction. The electrons in the outermost orbit can have a weak enough force of attraction that they can be pushed out of their shells by an external force and jump from one atom to another. These jumps result in a flow of electrons and results in what we know as electricity.

We see examples of electricity in nature in the form of lightning and static electricity. Under certain circumstances, when two objects come into contact with each other, electrons may move from one object to another, which leaves an excess of positive charge on one material, and an equal excess negative charge on the other one. When the materials are separated, they retain this charge imbalance.

Subsequently, if you touch the object with the excess of positive charge, it seeks to discharge the excess charge through your body to the earth, giving you a brief and very minor jolt, which is referred to as static electricity.

Magnetism

The spinning of the electrons around the nucleus of an atom creates a small magnetic field. In most objects, the electrons spin in random directions, and their magnetic forces cancel each other out. In some objects, the electrons spin in the same direction. This arrangement and movement of electrons create a magnetic force, which creates a magnetic field around the object. Such objects are known as magnets.