How electricity makes things work Without electricity our
appliances are just lumps of plastic and metal. But what does
electricity really do? How does it make things work? We use it
every day, but most of us haven't got a clue how electricity
makes things work. What's going on in the wires that make motors
move, and heaters heat? Whether it's a toaster or an electric
car, everything that electricity does comes down to one thing:
what happens when you teach electrons to line dance. When
electrons are forced to move in synch, they can produce heat and
— way more impressive — they turn the wire they're moving in
into a magnet. Heat can boil water and make light bulbs glow,
and magnets can make things move. And those two tricks are
behind the 'magic' of every electrical appliance. Getting
electrons organised The electrons that give our appliances their
zing are in the wires that make up the circuits. Wires are made
of metal, and metals have always got loose electrons buzzing
around throughout them. But if you ca