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Electricity - Atoms
and Molecules
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To explain Electricity
we need to look deeply inside of everyday objects to consider their primary
ingredients.
Atoms |
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As you probably know,
everything in the world, whether solid, liquid, or gas, is made up of atoms.
Each atom contains some number of electrons, protons, neutrons, and other
sub-atomic stuff. The nucleus (central region) of each atom contains the
protons (positive charge) and neutrons (no charge). Electrons (negative
charge) live in a cloud around the outside. Since electrons and protons are
charged particles, each atom prefers to have the same number of electrons as
protons.
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Molecules |
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Atoms of one or more
types are organized into molecules. There are only a hundred or so types of
atoms, but there are an almost infinite number of different molecules.
Molecules are the building blocks from which all real objects are made.
The changing picture to the left shows some simple molecules that you have probably heard of. Molecules are not always so simple. Some organic molecules (like those in our bodies) can comprise hundreds of atoms. |
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