Please explain how this process generates electricity?

Question

Please explain how this process generates electricity?

There are many sources to generate electricity (burning fossil fuels, burning biomass, hydroelectric, solar, wind, geothermal, wave and nuclear) For most of these sources a turbine is spun. 

Answer 1

So Chi A.,

You might want to view a diagram of an electric motor, one that runs on AC electrical current. The current runs through coils of copper wire in a core; as the current alternates, it sets up corresponding pulsed magnetic fields, which are used to pull the shaft of the motor with a torque force against fixed magnets in a housing surrounding the motor shaft. That's a very simple version; the copper wire coils can also be wound within the housing to generate the magnetic fields there, which pull and repel the fields from the core. In both cases, the electricity is used to generate mechanical force (torque).

Within a commercial turbine, the mechanical force of turning the turbine does the conceptual reverse of what the electric motor does -- it uses the force of rotation to make a magnetic field sweep across fixed wire coils, which then puts them under a large electric field, and they pump electricity out therefore. So it turns mechanical energy into electrical energy.

It's perhaps necessary to also say, one does not "generate" electrons. The electrons are always there in the wires! But the turbine gives the electrons a push, or voltage. When those electrons have been pumped away, there are always more available from the ground wire! And, you aren't pushing the electrons away permanently -- you are alternately pushing and pulling them. Fortunately, that push/pull force transmits essentially at the speed of light down the electric wire, so it is available immediately for use at your motor or what have you.

--Cheers, --Mr. d.