What is electricity defined as?

Electricity is defined as the flow of electrons from one location to another. This definition encapsulates the fundamental concept of electricity as a movement of electric charge, primarily carried by electrons, which are subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom. When electrons move through a conductor, such as a wire, an electric current is generated, which is a key principle in both theoretical and practical applications of electricity.

Batteries store energy chemically and release it as electrical energy when a circuit is completed, but this does not define electricity itself. The movement of protons, while critical to the structure of atoms, does not occur freely in conductors like electrons do, which is why it is not an accurate representation of electricity. Static charge refers to the imbalance of electric charge on surfaces, typically caused by friction, but again, this is a different concept from the continuous flow of electricity. Thus, the definition centered on the flow of electrons captures the essence of what electricity is.