Magnets Can Make Electricity We can use magnets to make electricity. A magnetic field can push and pull electrons to make them move. Some metals, like copper, have electrons that are easily pushed from their energy levels. Magnetism and electricity are related. Magnets can create electricity and electricity can create magnetic fields. Every time a magnetic field changes, an electric field is created. Every time an electric field changes, a magnetic field is created.
Generator MAGNETS COPPER COILS ROTATING SHAFT
GENERATOR
The copper coils spin inside a ring of magnets. This creates an electric field, producing electricity.
Magnetism and electricity are always linked together; you cannot have one without the other. This is called electromagnetism.
Power Plants Use Magnets Power plants use huge magnets to make, or generate, electricity. In a generator, big coils of copper wire spin inside the magnets. As they spin, the magnetic fields push and pull electrons in the wire. But how do we make the generator spin to generate electricity? We need energy to run the generator to make electricity. A device called a turbine is connected to the generator to make it spin. A turbine is made of several blades, like a fan. These blades spin and are connected to a rod or shaft that turns the coils or magnets in the generator. We can make a turbine spin using moving air, water, or steam.
We Generate Electricity With Many Fuels In the U.S., coal is the top energy source for making electricity. It generates about 33% of the electricity we use. Power plants burn the coal to heat water. When the water gets very hot, it expands and turns into steam. The steam is under high pressure and rushes through pipes to spin turbines. The turbines are connected to generators. As the turbines spin, the generators spin to make electricity. Moving water—hydropower—is the leading renewable energy source that generates electricity. In a hydropower plant, the flowing water is used to spin turbines to generate electricity.
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Wonders of Water