Eli5: Is electricity still affected by gravity? Like, does it travel slower when going up compared to going down?
In: Physics
Electricity is the movement of electrons. Electrons are particles that have a mass, albeit a very tiny one. Earth’s gravity would have an effect, but considering it’s moving at a speed comparable to the speed of light, it’s practically negligible.
So, basic answer is yes, but it’s such a small effect (at least on earth) it’s practically no
They (electrons) have mass so they are affected by gravity. The speed of their movement is more determined by internal resistance.
That said, it’s near the speed of light.
Yes! But they have almost no mass so they’re hardly effected. This is how we measured the mass of an electron, for example.
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The answer would be yes, however the ratios between the forces are almost indescribable.
If I were to take two electrons and put them close together, their mass would attract via gravitation, and they would also repel via electrical repulsion.
Which force wins? Easy, *the electrical repulsion is bigger by a factor with about forty zeroes*. It’s almost incomprehensible how meaningless gravity is compared to these forces.
An electron is pulled by gravity but it is only when a large clump of electrons and other matter is together (an object, materials) that gravity can really get anywhere.
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