Electricity is a form of energy. It is used for heating, lighting and operating electric appliances.
There are two forms of electricity: static and current heating.

Static Electricity

• Rubbing two materials or two surfaces against each other produces static electricity.
• For example, when a ruler or a comb is rubbed against hair, it picks pieces of paper. This charge is a form of static electricity.

Current Electricity

• Current electricity refers to electricity that is carried through wires.
• The movement of electricity from one point to another is called an electric current.

Common sources of current electricity include dry cells, car batteries, bicycle dynamos, petrol-driven generators, diesel-driven generators, wind-driven generators, hydro-electric generators and solar panels.

a) Dry cells (Torch battery)

• Dry cells have a positive (+) terminal and a negative (_) terminal.They contain chemicals which produce electricity. Two or more dry cells connected together make up battery.
• Dry cells are used in clocks, torches, radios among other appliances.

b) Car battery

• A car battery produces electricity from liquid chemicals. It has a positive and negative terminal. It is made up of six cells.
• It is used for powering motor vehicles, for lighting houses and for operating radios and televisions.

c) Bicycle dynamo

• A bicycle dynamo is a small generator that produces small amounts of electricity.
• The electricity is produced when a moving wheel of a bicycle rotates the knobs of the dynamo. The electricity generated provides light for the cyclist at night.

d)Petrol and diesel-driven generators

• These are large generators that use petrol or diesel-driven engines. They rotate machines that produce electricity.
• These generators are used to generate energy used to power important equipment in hospitals, factories and schools.
• They are useful in areas where there is no electricity.

e) Geothermal generators.

• These are large generators that produce large amounts of electricity.
• Geothermal generators use steam under pressure to produce electricity.

f) Hydro-electric generators

• These are large generators that produce large amounts of electricity from water.
• In hydro-electric generating stations, water flowing at a high speed from a waterfall or dam rotates a turbine which in turn drives a generator that produces electricity.
• This electricity is then directed into electric wires that carry it to homes, schools and factories for use.

g) Wind-driven turbines

• These are large turbines connected to generators that produce large amount of electricity.
• A wind-driven fan rotates a turbine connected to a machine that produces electricity.

h) Solar panels

These are light-sensitive cells that change light energy from the sun to electricity which is stored in batteries or used to power electrical appliances.

• A circuit is a path through which an electric current flows.
• A circuit consists of a wire, a cell or battery, a bulb and a switch.
• The wire is the part through which current electricity flows. The battery is the source of electricity.
• The bulb lights when the circuit is complete. The switch puts electricity on and off; it completes the circuit.

Connecting many cells in a simple circuit

Two or more cells can be connected in a circuit. For such a circuit to be complete or in a working condition, the cells should be arranged in such a way that only opposite terminals touch.

• Good conductors are materials which allow electricity to pass through them.
• Metals are good conductors of electricity. Graphite is a non-metal that conducts electricity.
• Electricity can also pass through water. Water is a poor conductor of electricity.
• Bad conductors are materials that do not allow electricity to pass through them. Example include plastics, papers, clothes and wood.
• Bad conductors are used to insulate good conductors to prevent electric shock (electrocution).

1. Never touch electric equipment, sockets and switches with wet hands.
2. Never throw objects at electric wires.
3. Never put sticks, pencils, wires and other materials into sockets.
4. Never touch bare(naked) electric wires.
5. Never put objects or hang objects such as clothes over electric wires.
6. Never use electrical appliances with damaged plugs or wires.
7. Damaged electrical appliances should only be repaired by trained electricians.
8. Avoid overloading sockets by connecting many appliances on them at once.
9. Never play near or under electrical cables. Stay away from fallen electric cables and poles.
10. Never have cables run under the carpet.
11. Never play with or get close to equipment with the sign DANGER or HATARI.

1. Never walk in pools of water or swim during rains.
2. Wear rubber-soled shoes during a storm.
3. Never lean on a wall when its raining.
4. Do not carry or hold metallic and sharp-pointed objects when it is raining.
5. Buildings should be fitted with lightning arrestors or lightning conductors.