Electricity & Heat
- When electricity passes through a component, such as a resistor, some of the electrical energy is turned into heat therefore increasing its temperature
- This is because energy is transferred as a result of collisions between:
- Electrons flowing in the conductor, and
- The lattice of atoms within the metal conductor
- Electricity, in metals, is caused by a flow of electrons
- This is called theĀ current
- Metals are made up of a lattice of ions
- As the electrons pass through the metal lattice they collide with ions
- The ions resist the flow of the electrons
As electrons flow through the metal, they collide with ions, making them vibrate more
- When the electrons collide, they lose some energy by giving it to the ions, which start to vibrate more
- As a result of this, the metal heats up
- This heating effect is utilised in many appliances, including:
- Electric heaters
- Electric ovens
- Electric hob
- Toasters
- Kettles
The heating effect of current can be used for many applications such as electric hobs
