Washington Esthetician State Board Practice Exam

Electricity can be defined as the flow of what?

1. Protons

2. Neutrons

3. Electrons

4. Positrons

The correct answer is: Electrons

Electricity is fundamentally understood as the flow of electrons. Electrons are negatively charged particles that move through conductive materials, which allows for the transfer of energy and the functioning of electrical devices. When we talk about electrical current, we are specifically referring to the movement of these electrons within a circuit. In the context of electrical phenomena, protons and neutrons are found within atomic nuclei and do not flow in the same way that electrons do; thus, they do not contribute to electrical current. Protons, being positively charged, remain relatively stationary within the nucleus, and neutrons have no charge. Positrons, on the other hand, are the antiparticles of electrons and are not typically involved in the flow of electricity in standard electrical circuits. Therefore, the correct understanding highlights that electricity revolves around the dynamics of electron movement.