COMMANDA/C                       BASIC ELECTRICITY PART 1 Electric current depends on the movement of free electrons . Controlling the behavior of electrons is what makes most of  the components in the equipment we service function. Electrons are tiny particles which carry the energy needed to run  t he equipment. To understand the functioning of the equipment, we need to understand where the electron comes from. We have all heard of gold, iron, copper, and aluminum. These are examples of elements, from which all matter is con- structed. If two or more elements are combined, a substance called a compound can be created. The best  know compound is water, which is made up of two elements hydrogen and oxygen. The elements of hydrogen and oxygen are also know as atoms, which can be broken into smaller particles called  electrons, protons, and neutrons. Everyone is familiar with the solar system. We have the sun in the center, and the planets circulating around it. The atom  also has a center called the nucleus. The nucleus contains particles called protons and neutrons .The orbiting objects are called electrons. The electrons are always in constant motion around the nucleus. The electron and proton have charges associated with them: the electron has a negative charge, and the proton has a positive charge. The neutron has a - you guessed it -  neutral charge.