The quick answer
Power stations make electricity, often by spinning a generator. It travels along power lines on tall pylons. Transformers turn it down to a safer level, and wires carry it into your home.
RankiTanki, I flick a switch and the light comes on. But where does the electricity actually come from?
TankiIt goes on a long journey to reach you. Did you know it might start on a windy hill or by a rushing river?
What is electricity?
Everything is made of tiny bits called atoms. Atoms have even tinier parts called . When lots of electrons are pushed along a wire, they carry energy. That flow of energy is electricity.
Wires are usually made of copper, a metal that lets electricity flow easily. The wires are wrapped in plastic. The plastic keeps the electricity inside the wire.
Power stations make it
Electricity is made in places called power stations. Most of them spin a machine called a . A generator uses magnets and coils of wire to turn spinning into electricity.
- Wind turbines are spun by the wind.
- Hydro power stations use flowing water from rivers and dams.
- Gas and coal power stations burn fuel to boil water. The steam spins the generator.
- Nuclear power stations make heat by splitting atoms. That heat makes steam too.
- Solar panels work differently. They turn sunlight straight into electricity, with no spinning at all.
Wind, water and sunlight will not run out. That is why we call them energy.
A journey along power lines
Next, the electricity travels along thick wires called power lines. They hang from tall metal towers called . These wires link power stations to towns all over the country. Together they make a giant web called the grid.
To travel far without wasting energy, the electricity is pushed very hard. A volt measures how hard electricity is pushed. In Britain, the biggest power lines carry up to 400,000 . That is far too strong for any home.
So machines called turn the push down, step by step. Some sit inside small fenced buildings near streets. By the time electricity reaches homes in Britain, it is about 230 volts. It zooms along the wires so fast that it arrives the moment you flick the switch.
RankiSo the electricity in my lamp might have come all the way from a wind turbine far away?
TankiIt might. Every time you flick a switch, you are at the end of that giant web.
Stay safe with electricity
Electricity is very useful, but it can be dangerous. It can flow through your body and hurt you badly. These simple rules keep everyone safe.
- Never poke anything into a socket.
- Never touch switches, plugs or sockets with wet hands.
- Keep drinks away from things that are plugged in.
- Stay far away from power lines and pylons. Never fly a kite or climb a tree near them.
- Never go into a fenced area with a danger sign.
- If a cable looks broken, do not touch it. Tell a grown-up straight away.
Try it
Go on an electricity hunt
You need
What to do
- Walk round your home with a grown-up. Look, but do not touch any plugs or sockets.
- Write down everything that uses electricity. Remember things that need charging.
- Count how many things you found in each room.
- Spot three things that are switched on but not being used.
- Make a family list of ways to save energy, like switching off lights when you leave a room.
Ask a grown-up to help you with this one.
RankiSo electricity travels from the power station, along the grid, through transformers and into my home. What a trip!
TankiAnd it gets there faster than you can blink. Now, who left the hall light on?
Big words
- electrons
- Tiny parts of atoms. When they are pushed along a wire, electricity flows.
- generator
- A machine that turns spinning into electricity using magnets and wire.
- renewable
- Energy from things that will not run out, like wind and sunlight.
- pylons
- Tall metal towers that hold power lines high above the ground.
- volts
- A measure of how hard electricity is pushed along a wire.
- transformers
- Machines that change how hard electricity is pushed.
Quick quiz
1. What do transformers do?
Transformers turn the push of electricity up for long trips and down for homes.
2. Which of these is renewable energy?
Wind will not run out, so it is a renewable energy source.
3. What should you do if you see a broken cable?
Broken cables can be dangerous, so never touch them and tell a grown-up straight away.
For parents and teachers
Electricity is sent over long distances at high voltage because that keeps the current low and wastes less energy as heat in the cables. A good follow-up is to choose one energy saving habit as a family and check it together for a week. It is also worth repeating the basic safety rules about water, sockets and overhead lines.
Pictures marked “AI generated” were made with AI tools. Ranki and Tanki are AI generated characters. Found a mistake? Write to info@pr-geo.com and we will fix it.
