Electrical Phenomena

Electrical phenomena are commonplace and unusual events that can be observed which illuminate the principles of the physics of electricity and are explained by them. Electrical phenomena are a somewhat arbitrary division of electromagnetic phenomena.

Some examples are

  • Biefeld–Brown effect — The effect is more widely referred to as electrohydrodynamics (EHD) or sometimes electro-fluid-dynamics, a counterpart to the well-known magneto-hydrodynamics.
  • Contact electrification — The phenomenon of electrification by contact. When two objects were touched together, sometimes the objects became spontaneously charged (οne negative charge, one positive charge).
  • Direct Current — (old: Galvanic Current) or "continuous current"; The continuous flow of electricity through a conductor such as a wire from high to low potential.
  • Electroluminescence — The phenomenon where a material emits light in response to an electric current passed through it, or to a strong electric field.
  • Electrical conduction — The movement of electrically charged particles through transmission medium.
  • Electric shock — Physiological reaction of a biological organism to the passage of electric current through its body.
  • Ferroelectric effect — The phenomenon whereby certain ionic crystals may exhibit a spontaneous dipole moment.
  • Inductance — The phenomenon whereby the property of a circuit by which energy is stored in the form of an electromagnetic field.
  • Lightning — powerful natural electrostatic discharge produced during a thunderstorm. Lightning's abrupt electric discharge is accompanied by the emission of light.
  • Photoconductivity — The phenomenon in which a material becomes more conductive due to the absorption of electro-magnetic radiation such as visible light, ultraviolet light, or gamma radiation.
  • Photoelectric effect — Emission of electrons from a surface (usually metallic) upon exposure to, and absorption of, electromagnetic radiation (such as visible light and ultraviolet radiation).
  • Piezoelectric effect — Ability of certain crystals to generate a voltage in response to applied mechanical stress.
  • Pyroelectric effect — The potential created in certain materials when they are heated.
  • Static electricity — Class of phenomena involving the imbalanced charge present on an object, typically referring to charge with voltages of sufficient magnitude to produce visible attraction (e.g., static cling), repulsion, and sparks.
  • Sparks — Electrical breakdown of a medium which produces an ongoing plasma discharge, similar to the instant spark, resulting from a current flowing through normally nonconductive media such as air.
  • Telluric currents — Extremely low frequency electric current that occurs naturally over large underground areas at or near the surface of the Earth.
  • Thermoelectric effect — the Seebeck effect, the Peltier effect, and the Thomson effect
  • Thunderstorm — also electrical storm, form of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder.
  • Triboelectric effect — Type of contact electrification in which objects become electrically charged after coming into contact and are then separated.
  • Whistlers — Very low frequency radio wave generated by lightning

Famous quotes containing the words electrical and/or phenomena:

    Few speeches which have produced an electrical effect on an audience can bear the colourless photography of a printed record.
    Archibald Philip Primrose, 5th Earl Rosebery (1847–1929)

    Many of the phenomena of Winter are suggestive of an inexpressible tenderness and fragile delicacy. We are accustomed to hear this king described as a rude and boisterous tyrant; but with the gentleness of a lover he adorns the tresses of Summer.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)