Determining the charge of an atom is easy in most cases but not all. Atoms are held together by the electromagnetic forces between the protons in the nucleus and the electrons surrounding it, and this means that most of the time there isn't actually much to work out. But when elements lo...
Atoms have a desire to lose or gain an electron in order to be stable. Once they've either gained or lost some electrons, they have charge associated with them since their electron and proton numbers no longer balance out. But what determines what happens to the electrons an atom has? It...
Carbon atoms rising in the flame emit light as they heat up. (Check out How Light Bulbs Work to find out why heated objects emit light.) The heat of the flame keeps the fuel at the ignition temperature, so it continues to burn as long as there is fuel and oxygen. As you can see,...
This current generates a magnetic charge, and this natural magnetism of the Earth is what makes a compass work. A compass always points north because the metal needle is attracted to the pull of the North Pole. Electromagnets All Around Us Many electromagnets have an advantage over permanent ...
Let's find out. Circuit Breaker: At Work in Your Home This diagram shows the basic parts and design of a circuit breaker. HowStuffWorks The power distribution grid delivers electricity from a power plant to your house. Inside your house, the electric charge moves in a large circuit, ...
Atomic bombs use fission to split the nucleus of an atom into two smaller fragments with a neutron, causing a deadly chain reaction. H-bombs go the other way and use fusion to bring together two smaller atoms to form a larger one. That creates massive energy in a reaction similar to the...
Photon capture causes negative “free electrons” to circulate within the PV cell and move towards the device’s front surface. This creates an electrical imbalance within the cell, resulting in voltage potential. The positive and negative charge — similar to those carried by battery terminals —...
It's not the electricity itself powering the motor, but the charge the magnet creates. The force of the magnet creates rotational movement, which means it rotates around a fixed point, similar to the way a tire rotates around an axle. So why not skip this process and just use the outlet...
Semiconductors work by means of a p-n junction. The p part of a p-n junction is covered with small amounts of boron, which make...
Each of these atoms has a strong negative charge. This negative charge attracts the two H+ ions through the membrane, where they combine with an oxygen atom and two of the electrons from the external circuit to form a water molecule (H2O). This reaction in a single fuel cell produces ...