We may try to understand a new concept, by comparing it to something we already know. Perhaps it’s no coincidence we describe electricity flowing like water in our minds as ‘current’. There are other analogies comparing these two phenomena, that help us understand electrical energy better.
Electricity Flowing Like Water In a Network
Let’s imagine our city’s water flowing through a network, and not just coming out of the taps in our home. This reticulation is quite a complex system, including pipes, pumps, valves, pressure regulators, and of course the water flowing through.
- The water pipes are like the electric wires in an electrical circuit. The thicker ones allow a greater flow of ‘current’ in both instances.
- However, the thinner pipes and wires have greater resistance. This provides us with a crude way to control the water and electricity flow.
- But we could be more precise by restricting the water flow with in-line valves. Resistors perform the same function in electric circuits.
Of course, the water would have to come from somewhere to fill the water pipes. Water supply networks begin at large storage dams. But they also have smaller reservoirs to balance the pressure down the line, as capacitors may do in electric circuits.
We can compare the main water source with a network of on-line power stations, delivering electricity flowing like water. Nowadays, these are supplemented by an increasing volume of battery storage farms.
Those ‘big batteries’ maintain the voltage of the current flowing through the grid at the correct level, so we can use the electricity safely to enrich our lives.
Let’s Use Both These Resources Wisely
Both these resources are becoming scarcer, as our global population continues to expand. Let’s use our electricity and water wisely, so there is sufficient for everyone to go around.
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