ELECTRIC FIELDS (BASIC)

==Electric Fields (Basic)== In order to understand '''WHY''' and '''HOW''' electricity works, you first need to have a basic understanding of '''electric fields''' and the '''electric force'''. Imagine two parallel charged plates as seen below. One charged with a fixed positive charge, the other with a fixed negative charge. [image:http://i.imgur.com/RfznV8I.jpg] Now let us say that there is a free '''positive''' charge in between these plates. According to the rules of forces between charges, the positive charge will experience an '''UNBALANCED FORCE''' to the left. As it accelerates and gains speed, it gains kinetic energy. This is exactly how a real circuit works. [image:http://i.imgur.com/G723EKt.gif] In the diagram above, the two terminals of the power supply are fixed + and - (or high and low potential). This means that any free charges in between them will experience a force. In a '''CONDUCTOR''', there are free electrons which will experience an unbalanced force from the power pack. They will gain kinetic energy as they move and this is the energy that they transfer as they move through circuit components. A more complete and complex description of '''ELECTRIC FIELDS''' is given in the '''FIELDS''' tree.