How does electricity know which is the path of least resistance?
In: Physics
When you fill a balloon with water, the balloon stretches to accommodate it. But, the water and the balloon are always trying to to reach a state of equalibrium.
For the balloon, it’s state of equalibrium is what it looked like before you fill it up with water. For the water, it doesn’t want to be pushed on by the balloon that is trying to reach equalibrium.
If you did not tie the balloon, both the water and balloon would return to their equalibrium states; the water would leave the balloon and the balloon would shrink back to normal.
For electrons, this also applies. Imagine the balloon as a battery on a circuit and the water as the electrons.
When you fill the circuit with electrons, they will flow to where they can reach equalibrium. When you close the balloon, it’s like flipping a switch OFF and disconnecting the battery from the circuit on one end. The electrons will stay there, but as soon as you open the balloon (flip the switch to ON) those electrons will flow to wherever they can so they can reach equalibrium.
Latest Answers