# Help me explain electricity to children (age range 4-12)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-explain-electricity-to-children-age-range-4-12/546849>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 15, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-explain-electricity-to-children-age-range-4-12/546849 "2010-07-15T23:42:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\
**Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-explain-electricity-to-children-age-range-4-12/546849/21 "2010-07-17T13:50:13Z")

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> [@dracoi](#):
>
> Electricity is a flow of electrons through a wire (conductive medium)

To create electrical current, you must have _charges that can move_, a.k.a. “mobile charges.”

Sometimes the charges are comprised of mobile electrons. An example is when there’s current in a wire.

But current doesn’t have to be made up of mobile electrons. When there is current through a battery, for example, the current does not consist of electrons - it consists of ions.

Same goes for electrical current through your body. The current consists of ions, not electrons.  
As for the water analogy, it’s O.K. But there are some problems with it:

1. Electrons do not “come out of the battery” on one side, and then “back into the battery” on the other side.

2. The energy is not due to the kinetic energy of the electrons \*moving \*in the wires. It is in the fields surrounding the wires.

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**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-explain-electricity-to-children-age-range-4-12/546849/22 "2010-07-18T14:47:16Z")

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> [@UncleFred](#):
>
> I believe The Master once described a little game for kids called “Shaking Hands With Jesus” (can’t find the link) that would have taught the lesson.
> 
> But don’t try it.

You would be thinking of Uncle Cecil’s [I can’t plug in these new plugs! What’s the deal?](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/170/i-cant-plug-in-these-new-plugs-whats-the-deal)

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**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-explain-electricity-to-children-age-range-4-12/546849/23 "2010-07-19T21:11:01Z")

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> [@Crafter\_Man](#):
>
> As for the water analogy, it’s O.K. But there are some problems with it:

No disagreement with any of your comments. It’s only an analogy and it can’t be taken too far. It’s lousy for explaining static electricity too. But, for a no-math, high-concept overview for young kids, I think it’s a pretty solid start. Also keep in mind that I presented just a brief outline of what I’d normally spend half an hour explaining.

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