Electricity | Teen Ink

Electricity

April 12, 2023
By richardhe SILVER, Beijing, Other
richardhe SILVER, Beijing, Other
5 articles 17 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
The spirits of nature


I was born from the unknown. One moment I was tumbling amidst lumps of coal, and the next I was swept away by a gust of wind to a place engulfed in red flames. The heat burned me and in pain, drops of cool water began to soak me, gradually cooling me. As a breeze spun the turbine……I woke up! I coursed through a slender electrical fiber. Shortly, other electrical fibers began to continuously merge with mine and countless others suddenly poured out. We jostled and pushed against each other until there was no room left for me. So, I squeezed towards the big intersection ahead of me……

I raced along the highway, surging through massive engines. I felt myself rising higher and higher until suddenly, I was gazing upon the world for the first time! From atop the Ferris wheel of the power plant, I beheld the countryside, the city, the mountains and the hills, and my fellow travelers who were hard at work: illuminating the night street lamps like shining stars in the city; propelling vessels forward to dance a never-ending waltz with the sea; and rushing to claim prime positions in batteries, reveling in the thrill of galloping down avenues, until they were spent and worn. As I reluctantly tore my gaze away, I steeled myself for teleportation. I was ready to embrace my duty and mission, to begin my life and create the glory of which I had always dreamed!

Cables crisscrossed and intertwined, sometimes coming together and other times separating. The most lively and energetic ones, like us, were given priority access to the playground. With a brisk twist, the marshmallow shreds were stirred up by me, then wrapped around by a wooden stick, and enjoyed by a little boy. I liked his smiling so I followed him as he explored. I activated the music in the haunted house, and made the ghost’s eyes glow red as it lunged towards the boy. His screams of terror filled the air, then I quickly spun the merry-go-round and lifted him onto a seat. I shone a bright spotlight on the dancing dolphins, captivating the boy’s attention and making his eyes sparkle with wonder……

"Crack!" A sharp, discordant jolt of electricity startled me and the little boy looked slightly surprised. As I lit the streetlights for him, I saw that it was pouring rain outside and lightning was flashing. I have never seen such powerful companions before. Unlike me, they were created by nature and were lightning bolts that harnessed the power of nature! Oh, how I longed for that great strength, to be able to roam freely in the world, to be watched by all and to look down from above……

A cry interrupted my thoughts. The pouring rain must have forced all the amusement rides to stop. The little boy’s crying echoed in my ears, making the thunder accompanying the lightning seem insignificant. I didn’t know what to do until I saw an unremarkable little wooden box in the small shop where he was taking shelter from the rain. An idea came to me. I slipped inside and activated the beautiful fairy tale within. The lid of the box slowly opened and the ballerina in the center began to spin. I emitted a gentle light, illuminating the colorful lights inside the box and slowly produced a sound - a soothing and beautiful lullaby. Yes, electricity created light and sound. This light and sound gradually filled the dark room that had lost power, attracting the attention of the little boy and providing him with comfort. He slowly approached, his eyes reflecting the enchanting music box. As I made the little lights flicker and sang the lullaby, the boy stopped crying and came closer to me, seeking more warmth……

As I experienced more and more, I had already crossed towering mountains and was beginning to feel weary on the long trip. Suddenly, I realized that I seemed to recognize this place - the familiar turbines and scorching furnaces. I was going to create my successor with my own hands. I slowly pushed the turbine again, recalling all that I had experienced and regretting that I had not become a powerful and free bolt of lightning. A thought came across my mind. I hesitated, it was too selfish, but in the end, I decided to indulge my capricious desire. I summoned as many companions as possible and we used all our strength to make the turbine spin faster and faster. The coils of wire also began to rub faster and soon sparks began to fly. We used up our last bit of strength and the now red-hot wire coil began to emit thick smoke, and in an instant, started to burn……

A beam of light shone in and I felt a warmth that I had never experienced before. It turned out that someone had pulled out the electrical fiber I was in after a short circuit. Just as I was about to take a closer look at the world powered and operated by electricity, I emitted my proudest but also most subtle “snap” sound - and disappeared.

I was born from the unknown and ended in the unknown. Energy is always conserved. I transformed into sound, into motion, and entered living beings. I was released, absorbed, released again, and absorbed again. I kept transforming, but I was always me - existing as a particle, a wave, or electricity.

“Ah!” When the little boy reached out to touch the dry wooden lid of the music box, he was struck by a small static shock……


The author's comments:

When introducing physics to a sixth-grade student, I tried storytelling to reveal the wonders of physical phenomena and spark her curiosity. I hope this fiction approach could engage and inspire young learners.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 0 comments.