Why Understanding Natural Electricity Matters for Students
The word electricity revolves around charges and it's a form of energy that already exists in nature.Production of electricity through nature and its storage is not possible.Benjamin Franklin has given the credit for the discovery of electricity.Here we are going to see how amazing it is to connect nature with electricity.
Where Can Electricity be Found?
Natural electricity can be found in various forms in our nature. It can be in the form of thunder and lightning and solar storms on earth which helps in the formation of its magnetic field. Some animals have special features of generating electricity which helps in their protection.
Lightning
Usually during heavy rains we hear thunder after seeing the lightning which is the cause of the thunder, this can be explained by the fact that thunder travels at the speed of sound which is roughly 866,000 times slower than the speed of light, thus causing the delay between the two phenomena.Tropical areas are where lightning occurs most frequently. Around the world, there are thought to be 1,800 thunderstorms at any given time. Each day, these storms cause 8 million lightning strikes.
Lightning
Electric Fish
There are fish species that have unique organs that create electrical discharges, including some varieties of rays, eels, and catfish.These discharges are used by them to find items, defend themselves, or paralyze prey.River-dwelling electric eels (Electrophorus electricus) in South America may generate enough electricity to run twelve 40-watt light bulbs.
Electric Fishes
Solar Storm
Every 11 years, the sun's activity increases, generating storms on its surface that affect the Earth's magnetic field. Power transmission systems could experience serious issues as a result of these magnetic storms.
Solar Storm
Animal and Electricity
In the wild, several creatures use electricity to stay alive. Numerous of these creatures may be found in the ocean, where some of them use electricity to detect objects around them (much like sight), while others use it to ward off predators or even go on the hunt.
The electric eel is one of the most well-known electrified creatures. The electric eel has the power to produce a lot of electricity, even enough to kill a person or stun a big horse. Dinner is usually served after the eels swim into a school of fish and discharge a lot of electricity.
Human Harnessed Electricity
Electricity that has been harnessed by humans has been created or made by people. Electric generators are used by people to produce electricity for lighting and other uses. Humans have influence over electricity that has been harnessed.On the radio-frequency (RF) side, antennae for wireless communication are examples of man-made EMF, whereas high-power lines and electric appliances are examples of low-frequency (LF) man-made EMF.Thus human harness electricity by creating various eclectic plants to manage the production and storage of electricity. For example: hydroelectric power plant, nuclear power plant, fossil-fueled power plant, thermal energy power plant, etc
Examples of Human Harnessed Electricity
Hydroelectric Power Plant
A significant renewable energy source that is currently used to generate electricity all over the world is hydroelectric power (HEP). It uses the fundamental principles of physics. Water falling under intense pressure has a lot of kinetic energy. The turbines in a HEP station are turned by the flowing water. The generator transforms the mechanical energy of the turbines into electrical energy via magnetic induction.
Hydroelectric Power Plant
Geothermal Power Plant
These plants are used to generate electricity with the help of geothermal energy.Geothermal power plants come in three primary categories, with the flash cycle being the most prevalent. The amount and temperature of the geothermal resource determine the type of plant to be used. The more valuable a resource is, the less fluid must flow from the ground to use it while it is hotter.
Geothermal Power Plant
Summary
Electricity is all around us.Animals utilize it to defend themselves, shock, or even kill their prey, and even humans use it to communicate with their muscles. We see it in lightning storms.So what we see is electricity even without a complete circuit whereas humans through technology have harnessed electricity which has made our life easy. At present we cannot imagine our life without electricity.
Solved Questions
1. Who has discovered electricity?
Ans: Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity.
2. Write a short note on electric fishes.
Ans: Electric fishes have a natural mechanism to protect themselves from their prey with the help of electric strings produced by their body.
3. Which country generates maximum electricity through nuclear energy?
Ans: USA produces maximum electricity using nuclear energy.
Learning by Doing
Fill in the blanks:
1_______________has discovered electricity.
2. Name an electric fish______
FAQs on Natural Electricity: Meaning, Examples & Benefits
1. What is meant by natural electricity?
Natural electricity refers to any electrical phenomenon that occurs in nature without human intervention. It is not generated in power plants but is a part of the natural world. Key examples include the static discharge of lightning during a thunderstorm, the bioelectricity produced by living organisms like electric eels, and the small shock you feel from static buildup on a dry day.
2. What is the most powerful example of natural electricity on Earth?
The most powerful and dramatic example of natural electricity is lightning. It is a massive-scale electrostatic discharge caused by imbalances of positive and negative charges between storm clouds or between a cloud and the ground. A single bolt of lightning can carry millions of volts of electricity, making it an incredibly potent natural force.
3. Can animals really produce electricity?
Yes, some animals can generate their own electricity through a process called bioelectricity. They have specialised organs that can produce electric charges. This ability is used for various purposes such as:
- Defence: To ward off predators.
- Hunting: To stun or paralyse prey.
- Navigation: To sense their surroundings in murky water.
Famous examples include the electric eel, electric catfish, and certain types of rays.
4. Is the small shock you might feel from a doorknob a form of natural electricity?
Yes, that small zap is a perfect real-world example of static electricity, which is a type of natural electricity. It happens when electric charge builds up on your body (for example, from walking on a carpet) and then discharges quickly when you touch a metal object like a doorknob, which is a good conductor. This is the exact same principle as lightning, just on a much smaller scale.
5. How is the electricity in our homes different from natural electricity like lightning?
There are key differences between human-harnessed electricity and natural electricity:
- Control: The electricity in our homes is a controlled, steady flow (current), whereas lightning is an uncontrolled, instantaneous, and massive discharge.
- Source: Home electricity is generated at power plants using sources like coal, water (hydroelectric), solar, or nuclear power. Natural electricity originates from physical phenomena like friction in clouds or biological processes.
- Type of Current: The electricity in our homes is typically Alternating Current (AC), while the discharge from static electricity or lightning is a form of Direct Current (DC).
6. Why can't we use the electricity from lightning to power our cities?
While a single lightning bolt contains a huge amount of energy, harnessing it is practically impossible for several reasons. Firstly, lightning strikes are unpredictable in both time and location. Secondly, the energy is delivered in an incredibly short, massive burst that would overwhelm any storage system we currently have. Finally, developing the infrastructure to capture and convert this wild, high-voltage energy safely and efficiently is beyond our current technological capabilities.
7. What are the main sources of naturally occurring electricity?
Naturally occurring electricity comes from several sources. The primary ones discussed in EVS and Science are:
- Atmospheric Electricity: This is mainly seen as lightning, caused by the buildup of static charge in clouds.
- Static Electricity: Occurs due to friction between certain materials, causing a transfer of electrons and creating a charge imbalance.
- Bioelectricity: The electrical energy produced within the bodies of living organisms, from nerve impulses in humans to powerful shocks from an electric eel.
- Geoelectricity: Natural electric currents that flow within the Earth's crust and mantle.
8. Why does lightning happen during a storm?
Lightning is a result of static charge buildup inside large storm clouds. As water droplets and ice crystals inside the cloud move around and rub against each other, they become electrically charged. Typically, positive charges gather at the top of the cloud and negative charges at the bottom. When the difference in charge between the cloud and the ground (or another cloud) becomes too great, the air can no longer insulate it. A massive electrical spark then jumps across the gap to neutralise the charge, which we see as a flash of lightning.
