Electricity is of huge importance in our lives; we know that already. What you might not know by now are these 9 cool facts about energy. We need electricity almost for anything, and to speak of electricity is to assume that it has always existed because we have grown up with it. However, it has not always been present.
In fact, it is not until something fails us and we require an electrician that we realize how dependent on electricity we are. In our daily lives, and for so many different activities, we need and use electricity extensively. Electricity is powerful, and we will share with you some really cool facts about energy that will blow your mind!
1. The temperature of lightning is 5 times hotter than that of the Sun
It would be easy to think of the Sun as the hottest object in our Solar System, right? Well, while approaching the Sun seems more deadly than approaching a bolt of lightning, the heat emitted by lightning is much hotter than that of the Sun’s surface. According to the National Weather Service data, the average temperature of a lightning bolt surpasses 50.000 °F. Meaning it is five times hotter than the surface temperature of the Sun.
2. Other facts about energy and the creation of lighting
In a cumulonimbus cloud – or a thunderstorm cloud – we find negatively charged water at the cloud base and positively charged ice at the top of the cloud. The negative charges accumulate at the base of the cloud and the positive charges at the top. The negative charges of the cloud attract the positive charges naturally present in the earth. If the electrical voltage becomes sufficient, the lightning is triggered.
Another interesting one of our facts about energy understands how this extreme heat interacts with the surrounding air and creates thunder. In fact, thunders are a sound produced by the sudden expansion of the thin column of air that has been heated very quickly by lightning during a thunderstorm.) that escapes shortly after lightning strikes.
You can check out this quick video by Met Life. You’ll have a better understanding of the first out of our cool facts about energy.
3. Each year, the sun provides fifteen thousand times more energy than the commercial consumption of the world’s population
The amount of energy received by the Earth is pretty considerable. This is one of the biggest facts about energy. Just to put it in numbers, each year, the Earth receives 1,070,000 petawatt hours, or approximately 8,000 times the annual global energy consumption.
This is one of our cool facts about energy because if we could harness 60 minutes’ worth of this energy, it would be enough to power the Earth for an entire year. According to National Geographic, the sun still has around five billion years of life left. By 2040, some experts predict renewables, including solar, could be the world’s primary power source.
To find a more stable way to generate energy after the sun goes down, you have to look to where it never stops shining: space. China and Japan plan to install space solar power plants (SBSPs) by 2030 that will eclipse any projects of this nature previously completed.
4. Two facts about energy in one: Electricity may be older than you think.
There were early discoveries about electricity 600 years before Christ. In fact, Thales of Miletus, a Greek philosopher and scholar, had already discovered the first electrical phenomenon around 600 years before our era. At the time, he had rubbed an amber stick (which produces electricity when rubbed) against a cat’s skin. Another of our facts about energy is that the term “electricity” comes from the Greek “Elektron,” which means yellow amber.
5. The oldest light bulb in the world has been in use since 1901
In the Livermore fire station (California, United States), a light bulb has been in operation since 1901. It is called the Centennial bulb, and it’s a celebrity! This lamp was designed and marketed by Adolphe Chaillet, a Parisian who emigrated to the United States in hopes of creating a more efficient and long-lasting light bulb. It continuously watches over the fire engines and has hardly ever been extinguished. This is what we call an interactive one of our facts about energy: You can see her shine live here.
6. Electricity travels at a speed close to that of light
According to data from the Science Focus, In a copper wire, the electricity travels to approximately 273,000. Km / s, a speed close to that of light. The electromagnetic wave rippling through the electrons travels at nearly the speed of light. We want to be more precise in our facts about energy, so in fact, the exact propagation speed depends on the dimensions of the wire and electrical properties, such as its inductance. Still, it is usually around 90% of the speed of light – about 270,000 km/s.
7. A fridge consumes less energy than a game console
According to an Australian study, the electricity consumption of a game console today is equivalent to that of several refrigerators. Going into sleep mode doesn’t change much in the consumption of a console, so it’s best to turn it off.
8. The United States is a world leader in wind energy
Since the invention of the windmill thousands of years ago, the wind has been a renewable energy source, but turbines generate today’s wind power over 300 feet tall with up to 8,000 components. The United States, along with China, Germany, Spain, and others, is increasingly utilizing this energy source that passes us by all the time. According to IRENA, Wind energy is one of the fastest-growing technologies to generate energy, the International Renewable Energy Agency.
Ps. If you want to learn more facts about energy and the different kinds of energy generated from green energy sources, check out our blog.
9. Can you guess the POTUS who was scared of electricity?
Compared to the other ones, this is one of the fun facts about energy. The first president to have electricity in the White House, Benjamin Harrison, was very afraid of being electrocuted. So he didn’t touch the switches. He even sometimes slept with the lights on!
10. You have the Power to Choose your energy providers
If you live in an energy deregulated State, you have the power to choose. Decide your electricity rates, choose if you want a fixed-rate or a variable rate, and choose between the energy providers of your choice. We help you make the best decision on our website! Just go on our website, put your zip code, and fill-up the form. You’ll find the energy rate that best suits your needs.
Bonus: The first solar-powered satellite is still in orbit
The last one of our facts about energy is a bonus. Did you know that an early adopter of solar power was the space industry? It began to use this technology to provide power for spacecraft in the 1960s. Vanguard 1 was the first spacecraft to use solar cells, and it’s the oldest artificial satellite still in orbit around Earth.
If you want to learn more about energy deregulation or how the electricity gets to you through the electric grid, or just random facts about energy, you’re at the right place. Check out our latest articles & shared Industry segments to learn more about it and find saving tips and everything you need to know to make that Energy Choice. Go On, Be Powerful with PowerChoiceNow.
Image Credits: Phoyo by Max Bender – Unsplash.
