A question regardingelectricity's nature

[amlish]

so my "professional" high school physics teacher began our intro with electricity by telling us to do notes...and failed to answer basic physics questions so here is the product of my curiosity

It states that, electricity is produced by the electron transfer between objects in a basic sense. My question is...where do these electrons come from? i mean...sure it says atoms, but like..don't atoms hold their electrons tightly? this is the entire basis of chemistry that electron transfers between atoms influence reactions.. so in a way...when, for example friction, we rub things to produce a charge, we separate atoms and electrons. Doesn't this degenerate the substance due to the loss/separation of electrons and cause reactions between other atoms in the surroundings? because by this rationale, the substance would eventually degenerate into nothing and disappear..

off coarse none of what i described actually happens in nature... i think...so what is the truth about how it works? feel free to include insulators and conductors if necessary

do you atleast get the general idea of what i mean?

Thanks alot.

 

[Pythagorean]

Good Questions!

It states that, electricity is produced by the electron transfer between objects in a basic sense. My question is...where do these electrons come from? i mean...sure it says atoms, but like..don't atoms hold their electrons tightly?

Some atoms hold them more tightly than others. This is one of the fundamental differences between conductors like copper, and insulators like plastic. The valence electrons in conductors are practically "free electrons" (as in free from being bound to the nucleus); it doesn't take much energy to move these electrons.

Atoms have to follow weird rules from quantum mechanics (which is the basis for the mechanism of chemical reactions) that can help explain why some substances are conductors and other are insulators.

this is the entire basis of chemistry that electron transfers between atoms influence reactions.. so in a way...when, for example friction, we rub things to produce a charge, we separate atoms and electrons. Doesn't this degenerate the substance due to the loss/separation of electrons and cause reactions between other atoms in the surroundings? because by this rationale, the substance would eventually degenerate into nothing and disappear..

The molecules don't became unstable in a nuclear way; they become ions. The electrons used for covalent and ionic bonds that hold the atoms together are not the "free electrons" that are involved in electricity. Those electrons are "held tightly", so the molecule remains in tact.

 

[astrokreng]

I can understand your curiosity and confusion about the nature of electricity. It is important to remember that atoms are made up of even smaller particles called protons, neutrons, and electrons. Electrons are negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. In certain materials, such as metals, the outermost electrons are loosely bound and can easily move from one atom to another. This is what we call a conductive material. In other materials, like rubber or plastic, the outermost electrons are tightly bound and cannot move as easily, making them insulators.

When we rub two materials together, such as a rubber balloon on our hair, we are indeed separating atoms and electrons. However, this does not necessarily cause the substance to degenerate or disappear. The atoms are still present and the electrons will eventually find their way back to their original atoms. This process of electron transfer is what creates an electric charge, and it is constantly happening in our everyday lives.

In terms of electricity in nature, it is important to note that it is not always the result of electron transfer between objects. Lightning, for example, is caused by the buildup of electrical energy in the atmosphere, which is then discharged in a powerful and visible way. The exact mechanisms of how this energy is created and discharged are still being studied by scientists.

I hope this explanation helps clarify some of your questions about electricity. It is a complex and fascinating topic, and there is still much to learn and discover about its nature. Keep asking questions and exploring the world of science!