Introduction
I have been studying electrical current and the processes
of energy transfer for a long time. From my research I have come to realize
that electrical current does not always flow in using the same processes. That is, there is
not just one process which we can call “electrical current.”
Electrical Current and Electrical Energy
Let us begin with the concept of what “electrical current”
actually means. An electrical current does not
necessarily mean the flow of electrons. The electron is merely the carrier,
it is the transporter. What we are really interested in is the electrical
energy.
Also note that this electrical energy exists in the form
of “electrical energy strings”. I have discussed and illustrated these energy
string in various published books and papers.
Thus, an “electric current”
is fundamentally the movement of electrical energy from one place to
another. And this means the movement of electrical
energy strings from one place to another.
This electric energy is primarily carried by electrons,
and is primarily transferred from one electron to another electron. However,
the electrons are merely the carriers. This allows the process of electrical
current to occur in several ways.
The Three Main Processes of Electrical Current
From my research I have seen three main processes for
electrical current. That is, there are three main ways in which electrical
energy is transferred from point A to point B.
1. The electrons physically
move from one location to another. [This is the process in batteries].
2. Energy is transferred from
electron to electron, like the passing of a baton from one runner to the
next. The electrons themselves only move a short distance. [This is the process
for Alternating Current in power lines].
3. Extra electrons attach to
a molecule (creating an ion), the molecule then migrates, and the electron
leaves the molecule at the new destination. In this way the electrical
energy is transferred across distances. [This happens for ions in solution, and
for some molecules in the body].
Simple Analogy Comparison Among the Methods
We can use a simple analogy to compare the three
mechanisms of electrical current. Think of a man with a message, written on a rolled
up document. In this analogy, the message is like our electrical energy, and the
man is like an electron.
1. In the first mechanism, the man runs a full hundred
miles with the message. He takes this message himself, all the way to the
destination.
2. In the second mechanism, there are a series of 50 men,
each just two miles apart. The first man runs with the message two miles, and
passes it to the next. He runs two miles, and passes the message to the third. In
this way each man only runs a short distance, and yet the message gets sent a
hundred miles.
3. In the third mechanism, the man hops on a truck.
Forget running, he gets a free ride. The truck carries him the hundred miles.
At the final destination the man hops off the truck, with the message.
Those are the main differences between the three most
common mechanisms of electrical current. Further details will be described
below.
1. The electrons physically move from one location to another.
The first process is in which electrons physically move
from one place to another. This is what is commonly thought of as the process
of electrical current. However it is important to realize that this is not the only
process.
It is also important to realize that the electrons must be absolutely free. That is, these electrons must first be totally separated from their atoms. At this point, these electrons can move freely on their own.
If these electrons are in space or in the air, they will
travel some distance, on their own internal energy, before encountering another
object. However, these motions can be random, scattered, and not quite “useful”.
Therefore, a wire is placed next to the free electrons. This wire allows the electrons
to travel in one simple path, to the desired destination. Thus, our free
electrons have traveled from one location to the next. This process is the
first method of “electrical current”.
As an advanced understanding, know that gravity will also
have an influence. Once the electrons are free, they are entities in space like
any other object (such as planets). And just as a planet’s motion is influenced
by the gravity of the sun, so the free electron will be influenced by the
gravity of nearby atomic nuclei. Therefore, in addition to the free electron
moving on its own, the gravitational pull of nearby atoms can also pull on the
electron. This can be used to our advantage, particularly in batteries.
In a battery there are two metals. The metal with weaker
gravitational pull will be the one that loses the electrons. It is easier to
pull electrons away from their atoms. Then on the other side we have a metal
with a stronger gravitational pull. Once an electron is free, it will be pulled
gravitationally toward that second metal.
Thus a battery uses this first mechanism of electrical
current as follows: We first pull off electrons from one metal, making them
free electrons. These free electrons would travel in haphazard directions, so
we use a wire to encourage their path in one direction. This direction of flow
is further aided by the gravitational pull of the second metal, at the other
end of the wire.
Thus, we can see the process of electrical current in the
form of free electron movement, during the operation of our battery.
Additional Information in My Books
Note that more details (and illustrations) on the processes
of Batteries can be found in my book “Introduction to Electrical Power”.
2. Energy is transferred from electron to electron
Overview
The second mechanism for electrical current is where the
electrical energy is transferred from one electron to another. This is
essentially the same process as a baton being passed from one runner to the
next. Thus, the energy is transferred over long distances, though each electron
only travels a very short distance. We see this process commonly for
alternating current as used in power lines.
Energy Transfer From Electron to Electron
Let us begin with our analogies. In a relay race there
are a series of runners, each placed at various distances. Yet there is only
one baton. Each runner reaches the next person, hands off the baton, and the
second runner proceeds. He passes the baton to the third runner, and so on. The
passing of electrical energy can be done in exactly the same way.
We begin by putting a significant amount of electrical energy
into the first electron. This starts the electron moving forward. When this
electron reaches the next electron, all of that electrical energy is handed
over to the second electron. At this point the second electron takes off. (You
will also notice that the first electron slows down). Note that this is very
much like our runners: the first runner stops running, while the second runner
picks up speed. Energy transfer from electron to electron will occur in exactly
the same way.
Long Distances
We can do this for long distances. Think of the
messengers of ancient Greece: Using a series of several runners, these
messengers could carry one paper document for hundreds of miles. In the same
way, we can use a series of many electrons to carry our electrical energy over
hundreds of miles. Indeed, that is what we do with the transmission lines which
carry our electrical power.
Power Loss
There will of course be some power loss along the way.
(See my books on Electrical Power for more details). Thus, eventually the electrons
will not be able to transfer any more electrical energy. This can be remedied
by sending much more electrical energy at the beginning of the process; with
the same amount of power loss, there will still be enough electrical energy to
keep the process going for many additional miles.
Electrons Do NOT Move Far
In this process it is important to note that the electrons
do NOT move very far. In fact, they only move across a few atoms.
These electrons are not truly free in the way that the
electrons in the battery system are free. Rather, these electrons are still
attached to the atomic systems – loosely yes, but still attached. [More
specifically, each electron leaves its atomic system only to be grabbed by the
next atomic system. And yet this connection is always so minimal that these
electrons are like a raft floating on the water].
You can also look at this from our analogy of the runners.
In ancient Greece one runner traveled only a limited distance; he did not run
the full hundred miles. The message
traveled over hundreds of miles, but not any one individual runner. The same
situation exists for our electrons and electrical current: the electrical
energy was transferred for hundreds of miles, but each electron traveled only a
few millimeters.
Alternating Current
A brief note on the “alternating” aspect of electrical
current. Using the alternating current we pull all electrons back to their
original positions. Then, we can begin the process again.
Use the analogy of the runners: after one runner has
passed on his baton or his message to another runner, he is able to walk back
to where he started. He can return to his regular position, able to receive
another baton or another message, and do the running again.
In the same way, we pull back the electrons to their
original position. Then, we can again add electrical energy to the first
electron. This electrical energy will be passed along to the second electron,
and so on, just as before.
Note that meanwhile…as this is going on…the original
electrical energy we sent is continuing to be passed on from electron to
electron, hundreds of miles away.
The Brilliance of AC Current and Transfer of Electrical Energy
Thus, using this mechanism, we can continue to send
pulses of electrical energy down the power line. We can do this by transferring
the energy from electron to electron, with very little movement from the
electrons themselves. These electrons can be put back in position, while the
original energy is continuing to be handed down through the wire.
This is the brilliant mechanism which Tesla came up with,
and has allowed us to send electrical energy (known as electrical current)
without ever depleting our source of electrons.
Additional Information in My Books
Note that more details (and illustrations) on the processes
of Alternating Current, and on the processes of Batteries can be found in my
book “Introduction to Electrical Power”. I also have a fuller list of
comparisons between the two processes of electrical current. A further resource is my book on Transmission of Electrical Power.
3. Extra electrons attach to a molecule, and the molecule migrates
The third mechanism for electrical current is a bit different
from the previous two. This mechanism involves extra electrons hitching a ride
on molecules. Thus we have two carriers of electrical energy simultaneously:
the electron carries the electrical energy, and yet the electron is also being
carried by the molecule. This is like the man who hops on the back of a truck,
enjoys the free ride, then hops of again at the destination.
When an extra electron attached to a molecule that
molecule becomes a “negative ion”. In terms of our electrical energy this
means: the electrical energy contained in our electron is now also part of the
molecular system. (Still contained in the electron, but the electron has joined
the molecule, and so everything travels together).
If this molecule is in solution, then the molecule will
be able to migrate. It is something like a ship traveling across the sea. And
as the “ship” travels, so do all “passengers” – which in this case means all
electrons and all electrical energy in those electrons.
When this molecule reaches its destination, then the extra
electron can hop off the molecule. Of course the electrical energy contained in
that electron will go along with it. Thus, in this way, the electrical energy
has traveled from one location to another. This can be considered to be a type
of “electrical current”.
This type of mechanism is observed mostly for ionized
molecules in solution. We commonly see this in the solution parts of batteries.
We also see this within the cells of biological organisms.
Summary-Review
An electrical current is not simply the movement of free
electrons. An “electric current” is fundamentally the movement of electrical
energy from one place to another. This means the movement of electrical energy
strings from one place to another.
This electric energy (as electrical energy strings) is
primarily carried by electrons. However, the electrons are merely the carriers,
what really makes the electrical current is the traveling of electrical energy.
Therefore this allows the process of electrical current to occur in several
ways. From my research I have seen three main processes for electrical current:
2. Energy is transferred from
electron to electron, like the passing of a baton from one runner to the next. The
electrons themselves only move a short distance. [This is the process for
Alternating Current in power lines].
3. Extra electrons attach to
a molecule (creating an ion), the molecule then migrates, and the electron
leaves the molecule at the new destination. In this way the electrical
energy is transferred across distances. [This happens for ions in solution, and
for some molecules in the body].
Further Reading
For additional explanation and illustrations read the
following books I have written:
A. Introduction to Electrical Power, by Mark Fennell
B. Transmission of Electrical Power, by Mark Fennell
C. Fundamental Properties of Electromagnetic Energy, by
Mark Fennell
D. New Concepts of Energy Strings, by Mark Fennell
(paper, soon to be published)
E. Photons in Motion, by Mark Fennell (available soon)
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