Why do things get hot when electricity is pasted through them?

Electricity is the flow of electrons through a material. But for electrons to pass through a material they have to give up some energy, this is called a material's resistance. The energy that is lost from the flow of electrons, due to a material's resistance, is passed onto the material in the form of heat, which makes the material hotter.

PR
Answered by Peter R. Physics tutor

2659 Views

See similar Physics GCSE tutors

Related Physics GCSE answers

All answers ▸

What are the different kinds of nuclear radiation?


What does "superimposition" mean?


A 2 kW electric fire is switched on for 30 minutes. How many Units of electricity does it use?


What is Fleming's left hand rule?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2026 by IXL Learning