What Uses Electricity in Your Home
Many times we take for granted those aspects of life that have become so familiar. One of the most repeated actions we take each and every day is that of flipping a light switch. We use electricity every day in many different ways. Whether we are turning the light on in a room, charging our cell phone, watching our favorite television show or blow drying our hair, electricity has become a constant staple in modern life. Try to think of where you would be without electricity. Your computer wouldn’t be on, your phone would not be charged and the ear buds you use to listen to your favorite music would be useless. There are many fun facts that most people are unaware of when it comes to the awesome power of electricity.
How Fast is Electrical Current?
Most people know that electricity travels at a quick pace, but did you know that electricity travels at the speed of light? A lightening strike travels at 186,000 miles per second. However the electricity that flows through the wires of your home into your appliances, powering your television and all other electrical devices travels much slower, only about one one hundredth of the speed of light, which is still quite an impressive speed.
Electricity and Human Hearts
Believe it or not, electricity plays a strong role in the way that your very own heart beats. Electricity causes muscle cells in the heart to contract. There are machines that can measure the electricity going through your heart; these machines are called Electrocardiogram machines. As your heart beats, the electrocardiogram machine will display a line moving across the screen with regular spikes. A healthy person will display a good constant rhythm of these spikes while people who have an irregular heartbeat will see spikes that are not consistent with one another.
Ben Franklin, Electricity Inventions
We all have heard stories in school of Ben Franklin placing a key on a kite string. Mr. Franklin carried out an extensive amount of electricity research in the 18th century, resulting in many new inventions that we still use today. The lightening rod is one of those inventions. In the event of a lightning strike, the lightening rod will conduct the strike through a grounded line of wire, protecting the building. Electricity is a necessity today, especially in the home.
