At Oliver, we love learning new things about the world of electricity. Our electrical repair experts did some research and found some interesting facts you may not know. Check them out:
1. Electricity travels at the speed of light, which is 186,000 miles per second.
2. Before electricity was a way of life, ancient Egyptians were aware that lightning and shocks from electric fish were very powerful. They used to refer to these fish as the “Thunderers of the Nile.”
3. Electricity can be created using water, wind, the sun, and even animal waste.
4. When lightning strikes, it flows from the cloud to the ground, but the part we see is actually the charge going from the ground back up into the cloud.
5. Electricity is sometimes used as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), where patients are given electrically induced seizures in order to treat psychiatric illnesses.
6. In the 1880’s, there was a “war of currents” between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. Tesla helped invent AC current and Edison helped invent DC current, and both wanted their currents to be popularized. AC won the battle because it’s safer and can be used over longer distances.
7. Iceland is the country that uses the most electricity annually. Their consumption is about 23% more than the U.S.
8. Static electricity occurs when the electrons from one object jump to another object.
9. The world’s biggest light bulb is located in Edison, New Jersey. It’s 14 feet tall, weighs eight tons, and sits on top of the Thomas Edison Memorial Tower.
10. The average U.S. home uses 11,000 kWh of electricity every year.
11. The first central power plant in the U.S. was Pearl Station, in Manhattan. It was built in 1882 and served 85 customers.
12. Electricity travels in closed loops called “circuits.” It must have a complete path before the electrons can move. If a circuit is open, electrons can’t flow.
13. Electricity is present in our bodies – our nerve cells use it to pass signals to our muscles.
If you’re in need of electrical repair or installation, give us a call. We’d love to help!
