Where does electricity come from?

amdhunter

Lifer
May 19, 2003
23,332
249
106
Saw this on Reddit and it actually does make sense. :hmm:

ohZts.jpg
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
72,830
33,863
136
Electricity comes from electric cars, duh, hello! As the cars roll down the street the rubber tires rub along the road creating static. The static is used by the motor to power the car. The static cling also helps hold the car to the road during cornering.
 

cKGunslinger

Lifer
Nov 29, 1999
16,408
57
91
My physics-major friend insist that magnets are fucking inexplicable magic that no one really understands..
 

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
10,286
145
106
My physics-major friend insist that magnets are fucking inexplicable magic that no one really understands..

Well, he is right. We know that magnetism exists, that it is VERY closely related to electricity, and that right down to the quark, everything appears to have a north and south pole.

What we don't know is why. Why are there magnetic poles? Why is there an attraction between two opposite magnetic poles? Why do magnets do what they do?

We really don't know the answers to those questions. They just work, and so we use them.

Gravity is much the same way. We have many unanswered questions to why things are attracted to each other.
 

SKORPI0

Lifer
Jan 18, 2000
18,481
2,418
136
The Journey of Electricity

electricity.gif


The electricity we use in our home comes from power stations. It is produced by burning coal, oil, gas or using nuclear energy.
Windmills and gas from tips can also generate electricity. Electricity leaves the power station running at an amazing
400,000 or 132,000 volts. Electricity this powerful would blow up factory machinery and household appliances.
To stop this happening the electricity is reduced in voltage as it travels along.
 

cKGunslinger

Lifer
Nov 29, 1999
16,408
57
91
Well, he is right. We know that magnetism exists, that it is VERY closely related to electricity, and that right down to the quark, everything appears to have a north and south pole.

What we don't know is why. Why are there magnetic poles? Why is there an attraction between two opposite magnetic poles? Why do magnets do what they do?

We really don't know the answers to those questions. They just work, and so we use them.

Gravity is much the same way. We have many unanswered questions to why things are attracted to each other.

Yeah, I admitted defeat. But I still hate ICP.
 

PottedMeat

Lifer
Apr 17, 2002
12,363
475
126
supposed to be from here:

http://www.learningthings.com/customkititems.asp?kc=256339

Bob Jones University 4th Grade Science Set 3rd Edition includes all materials needed for a complete school year for the teacher and one student. Explain God's ordered world to students through the study of the moon, light, area and volume, simple machines, digestion, animal defenses, trees, erosion, and simple classification of insects.

Home Teacher's Edition
Student Text
Student Notebook Packet
Home Teacher Packet
Test Forms
Answer Key

Science 4 (3rd Edition) presents God as the Source of all wisdom. Your child will enjoy studying ecosystems, insects, plants, simple machines, electricity and magnetism, light, the moon, water and oceans, weathering and erosion, natural resources, the digestive system, and bones and muscles.

all for the reasonable price of $148.83
 

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
10,286
145
106
That wouldn't be a terrible price if it were real science. Books are expensive :^/

:( not really. Educational books are artificially expensive. Our problem is that there is really only 1 or 2 educational publishers that are taken seriously by universities. As such, they have price fixed and gouged the hell out of their books. Then they use shady tactics like reordering the problem sets and publishing new editions every year where that is the only change (to try and force students to buy new).
 

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
60,003
10,496
126
:( not really. Educational books are artificially expensive. Our problem is that there is really only 1 or 2 educational publishers that are taken seriously by universities. As such, they have price fixed and gouged the hell out of their books. Then they use shady tactics like reordering the problem sets and publishing new editions every year where that is the only change (to try and force students to buy new).

Oh, I know. I just meant in reference to the accepted norm. Their days are numbered, and they know it. Free books and learning material will become the norm. That's the way it should be. People shouldn't have to pay for knowledge. Our collective knowledge should be available to anyone who's interested.
 

MagnusTheBrewer

IN MEMORIAM
Jun 19, 2004
24,122
1,594
126
supposed to be from here:

http://www.learningthings.com/customkititems.asp?kc=256339



all for the reasonable price of $148.83

Whoa, I just realized it's intended for the fourth grade. By then I was replacing the bad tubes on our TV, built my own ham radio, slot car motor and, had taken apart and put back together the toaster, washing machine and, vacuum. The retired guy next door was teaching me wood working and, the guy up the street, welding. Philosophy aside, these kids are being dumbed down at a point when they should be expanding their minds in all directions.
 

bononos

Diamond Member
Aug 21, 2011
3,938
190
106
The textbook tries to make electricity seem like a magical substance (which it is in a way- speaking about the fundamental forces of nature) but leaves out the more mundane methods of producing it ie. big coal powered plants by just saying that 'electricity is everywhere'.
 

Cogman

Lifer
Sep 19, 2000
10,286
145
106
Oh, I know. I just meant in reference to the accepted norm. Their days are numbered, and they know it. Free books and learning material will become the norm. That's the way it should be. People shouldn't have to pay for knowledge. Our collective knowledge should be available to anyone who's interested.

I don't have much of a problem with a publisher covering their costs and paying the author. I can accept that price for printed text. What I hate is the fact that while many of the entertainment publishers struggle to get by, these educational publishers proudly gouge the hell out of their captive audience. It is sickening.

This would actually be a place where I would support government intervention to slap the hell out of publishers for the stupid amount of burden they put on cash strapped college students.
 

DAGTA

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
8,172
1
0
I don't have much of a problem with a publisher covering their costs and paying the author. I can accept that price for printed text. What I hate is the fact that while many of the entertainment publishers struggle to get by, these educational publishers proudly gouge the hell out of their captive audience. It is sickening.

This would actually be a place where I would support government intervention to slap the hell out of publishers for the stupid amount of burden they put on cash strapped college students.

Gov't student loans can be used to cover the cost of textbooks. Student loans don't go away in bankruptcy.

So, why would the gov't stop a process that is making money for the gov't?
 

Ronstang

Lifer
Jul 8, 2000
12,493
18
81
On the flip side I am sure you can find some who thinks it comes from Obama. There is all kinds of stupid all around.
 

Ichinisan

Lifer
Oct 9, 2002
28,298
1,235
136
I went to private / Christian schools and all my public-schooled friends thought I was some kind of "genius." I was called "computer head" before I ever had any desire to own a computer. I was interested in atomic physics and electricity 6th grade (we used a Bob Jones University textbook that year).

Most of my books were "A-Beka-Book" (curriculum made by Pensacola college). If that picture is legit, it really sounds like it was written for K-5 or 1st grade.