When Benjamin Franklin flew his kite with a key attached in a storm in 1752, he could not have imagined that someday just about every home in the United States would rely on electricity as we do. Franklin, Tesla, Faraday, Edison, and others likely could never have predicted how common electricity would become. We are highly reliant on electricity. Here are five ways we use electrical power in our everyday lives.
1. Cooking, Cleaning, Washing
For many people, their home is a haven of electrical appliances. Many people use electricity for cooking on their electric stoves. We all use labor-saving devices to clean our homes. Vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, and more all rely on electricity. Washing machines and dryers keep our clothes clean. Electric heaters in the home ensure plenty of hot water to bathe. Everywhere you look in the home, you can find appliances powered by electricity.
2. Heating and Cooling
In the United States, many households have air conditioning. All of those air conditioners depend on electricity. Even if you use a propane, natural gas, or oil-fueled heating system, it still uses electricity to ignite the pilot light. Many homes in the United States depend on heat pumps to cool and heat their homes. Heat pumps are dependent on electricity.
Today, many homes are outfitted with gas fireplaces (reliant on electricity to power on) with beautiful stone surrounds. The natural stone market value in 2018 was $35,120.1 million. By 2026, it will be at $48,068.4 million. Electric tools manufacture materials and goods in your home.
3. HealthCare
You can thank E.H. Hall if you ever have an MRI. He discovered the Hall Effect, which magnetic imaging is based on, in 1879. We don’t only rely on electricity in our homes; we rely on electricity for our health care. Electricity powers a wide range of diagnostic testing, from simple X-rays to high-tech neuroimaging scans. Electricity has made it possible to see inside the human body. It is also responsible for keeping us alive in critical situations; in some cases, electricity can bring us back to life. Where would healthcare be without electricity?
4. Entertainment
When you leave home, if the first thing you do in the car is turn on the radio, you are using electricity. Radio stations transmit their broadcasts using a high-end processor that costs in excess of $10,000. Electricity is the backbone of all of your entertainment. Movie theaters, television at home, video games, playhouses, and more are all brought to you thanks to electricity. Entertainment of all forms relies on electricity.
5. Transportation
Every form of transportation relies on electricity, except walking or riding a bike, and even some bikes use electricity. Your car relies on electricity to start. Trains, buses, and taxis all use some form of electricity to get going. If you commute to work, the grocery store, the kid’s school, or any other place, you are using electricity somewhere along the line.
Electricity has played a critical role in the evolution of automobiles and other motorized vehicles. It has transformed how we get around. Airplanes use electricity. Every form of transportation that moves us depends on this wonderous marvel we take for granted.
How could Thomas Edison have known when he turned that lightbulb on for the first time that he would change how the world lived? Look around your home, and you are sure to find evidence of how electricity is a part of your daily life. You can’t live without it.
