2016 MOST WIRED

A coaxial cable consists of a central copper conductor used for transmitting signals, followed by an insulator shield, a metallic braided mesh that prevents signal interference, and a plastic layer that encases the entire assembly.
In the simplest form, a coaxial cable can be represented by two long hollow concentric cylinders in which the current flows in opposite directions. The magnetic field inside and outside the coaxial cable is determined by using Ampère's law. The magnetic field inside...

Electrical current is defined as the rate at which charge flows. When there is a large current present, such as that used to run a refrigerator, a large amount of charge moves through the wire in a small amount of time. If the current is small, such as that used to operate a handheld calculator, a small amount of charge moves through the circuit over a long period of time. The SI unit for current is the ampere (A), named for the French physicist André-Marie Ampère (1775–1836).

Electric power is the product of current and voltage, represented in units of joules per second, or watts. For example, cars often have one or more auxiliary power outlets with which you can charge a cell phone or other electronic devices. These outlets may be rated at 20 amps and 12 volts, so that the circuit can deliver a maximum power of 240 watts. Consider a 25 Watt bulb and a 60 Watt bulb. The conversion of electrical energy produces heat and light, while the kinetic energy lost by the...

In electrical engineering, the analysis of networks composed of passive linear components — resistors (R), capacitors (C), and inductors (L) — is fundamental. These components are organized into circuits where the relationship between input and output can be analyzed using transfer functions. The transfer function of an RLC circuit, which relates the voltage across a capacitor to the input voltage, can be derived using Kirchhoff's laws.
To derive the transfer function, consider an RLC...

Using electric appliances for a longer period of time consumes more electrical energy and results in a higher electric bill. The energy produced by the transfer of electrons from one point to another is known as electrical energy. If power is delivered at a constant rate, the electrical energy can be defined as the product of power used by the device for a period of time. The energy unit on electric bills is the kilowatt-hour, where one kilowatt-hour is equivalent to 3.6 × 106 joules.

Electrical synapses found in all nervous systems play important and unique roles. In these synapses, the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes are very close together (3.5 nm) and are actually physically connected by channel proteins forming gap junctions.
Gap junctions allow the current to pass directly from one cell to the next. In contrast, in the chemical synapse, the neurotransmitters carry the information through the synaptic cleft from one neuron to the next. They consist of two...