Re: 1972 electric shift
I promise this is my last comment on this thread. Electricity 101 says that all matter is made of atoms. We've all seen theoretical drawings of atoms, which look like a miniature solar system. The "sun" or nucleus has a positive charge. Wizzing around that are the "planets" or electrons in their little orbits or valences. Electrons have a negative charge. There is a specific number of electrons for each atom according to whatever element it is (copper, gold or whatever). The negative charge of the electrons exactly matches the positive charge of the nucleus.
Now imagine a ring of wire, one atom thick all the way around. If some force (generator, battery or whatever) yanks an electron out of an atom, it will jump into the next atom. We now have two atoms with incorrect number of electrons, one is missing an electron and the next one has one extra electron. The one missing an electron has a net positive charge and the one with an extra electron has a net negative charge (remember, electrons have a negative charge). Atoms cannot STAND having the wrong number of electrons, so the one with an extra electron shoves it over into the next atom. It doesn't go back to the atom it came from because of the force that yanked it out in the first place. So, now we still have two adjacent atoms with an unnatural number of electrons, except they are one atom further around the circle. This continues around the circle till the extra electron gets back to the source and fills the hole left by the first one to leave.
Of course, this is over simplification. In reality, the electrons all move simultneously, like a hula-hoop full of balls. That flow of electrons in a loop is an electrical current.
All this to say that it is the electrons that are flowing in the circuit, not the whole atom (minus it's one electron). Electrons have a negative charge. Therefor it is a negative charge that is flowing from the source and returning to the positive end of the source. If it were the positive charge that were flowing, that would mean the whole stupid atom (minus one electron) would be flowing. I would have to imagine that if 99.99% percent of the atoms were flowing, the whole wire would be going around.
Bottom line: Whatever force that is causing the electron flow is causing the electrons to pile up at the negative end and leaving an abesnce of electrons at the positive end. Connect the ends together with a wire and it is the negatively charged electrons that are flowing and they are coming from the negatively charged end of the source and returning to the positive end of the source. It is not the positively charged nucleus, and all the remaining electrons still around it, flowing from the positive end.
Only way to dispute this is to dispute atomic theory and say that electrons have a positive charge. Who invented the atomic theory anyway? Talk to him. Or dare I spell that "Him"?
I promised...last comment. Unless somebody gets me going again.
