The Manga Guide to Electricity

There are

variouskinds

of atoms, and

a number is

aigned to

eachone.

This is caed

the atomic

number.

For example, the

atomic number

of coer, which

is often used in

electric lines, is 29.

Why is coer

number 29?

The atomic number is

thesame as the number

of protons that the

atom has.

And since

there are the

same number

of protons

as electrons,

coer must

also have

29electrons.

There are four orbits

caed electron shes

around the nucleus of

a coer atom. Starting

from the iermost she,

these contain 2, 8, 18, and 1

electron, respectively, for

a total of 29 electrons.

An electron in the

outermost she is caed a

valence electron.

Atomic Structure and Conductivity

Valence electron

Nucleus

So coer has only

one valence electron,

right?

A valence electron easily

becomes a fr electron

because the binding force of

the atom is the weakest in the

outermost electron she.

If external heat or light

is aed to a coer

atom, that energy is

concentrated on the one

valence electron.

Ah! Therefore, the

valence electron of

a coer atom easily

escapes, and electricity

easily flows, right?

That's right!

In fact, coer atoms

share their valence electrons

normay, and since these

valence electrons aren't

aociated with any single

atom but move frly betwn

atoms, electricity wi flow

easily. This property is what

defines metals, and gives

them their characteristic

large conductivity!

I get it!

Nucleus

Heat

Light

Atom

Atom

Atom

Atom

Pluck!

N

Atomic Structure and Conductivity 35