Science Concept: What Is Electricity?

Electricity is a form of energy carried by the movement of electrons. An electron is a particle that orbits the center of an atom. The electrons of some atoms, like those of copper and other metals, are only loosely attached, which allows electricity to travel through these materials easily. These types of materials are known as “conductors.”

An outside force—such as light, heat, pressure, or a chemical reaction—can cause electrons to break free and get “bumped” from one atom to the next. A sequence of electrons then passes from atom to atom. This continuous flow of electrons from atom to atom through a conductor is called electric current.

Electric Current

An outside force causes one or more electrons to get "bumped" to an adjacent atom, which in turn forces that atom to give up one or more electrons to the atom next to it, and so on along the length of the conductor.

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