All matter is made of atoms and there are electrons that revolve around the atoms with a high velocity. These electrons can jump back and forth between atoms forming bonds causing molecules to form. If these electrons were to be disturbed or moved from their orbit, then the electrical field of an atom becomes unbalanced, becoming a charged particle or causing an electric charge.

 

Conductors are essentially materials that contain electrons that are freed from their orbits. One great example of a conductor is copper. Humans have developed a way to move these electrons from one place to another with the help of conductors, usually through a copper wire. This process is known as current electricity.

 

A flow of electrical charge is known as current electricity. In circuits, as electrons move, the charge is carried with them through a wire. Electric currents flow from negatively to positively charged particles. These charged particles contain kinetic energy within them.

 

The diagram below shows a battery and its electric flow. When there is a connection between the negative and positive sides, the negatively charged electrons will flow to the positive side which in turn will create an electric circuit. Our typical everyday objects such as light bulbs and hair dryers have a flow of electrons. The kinetic energy of these electrons is converted to mechanical energy to perform work.

 

As mentioned before, the phenomenon known as piezoelectric works similarly in generating electricity from tiles. When a person walks over the tile, their footstep triggers a flywheel and once the flywheel spins, electricity is generated. This is due to a set of copper magnets that generate an electromagnetic charge. The pressure on the tile can cause it to depress by an average of 5mm which in turn generates 5W of power.[8]