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<blockquote data-quote="Flipx99" data-source="post: 2351173" data-attributes="member: 562352">I know this may sound like a juvenile question but I am curious where does the electricity go when you unplug an extension cord?I have multiple thoughts....a) there is no electricity in the cord and comes when there is a load present....(ie nothing there until you plug something in) and then it comes from the power lines.b) There is electricity there but it discharges (I hope this is correct terminology) really fast when you unplug it. Say for instance, unplug a tool or vaccum in dark and you can sometimes see a spark coming from the outlet to the plug.I know once it is unplugged there is no more electricity flowing into the plug. I think it has something to do with how electicity flows. For instance, you can catch water or air in a pipe. You can put a cap on the end and there is still water in the pipe. You cannot do that with electricity with a extension cord. You also not do it with light. (ie shine a light into a tube, collect it, look inside and see light. This leads me to think they are somewhat related, but I don&#039;t know how really. I know many of you engineer types probably covered this is you first class or something; so try and explain what&#039;s going on in an extension cord when you unplug it.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Flipx99, post: 2351173, member: 562352"] I know this may sound like a juvenile question but I am curious where does the electricity go when you unplug an extension cord? I have multiple thoughts.... a) there is no electricity in the cord and comes when there is a load present....(ie nothing there until you plug something in) and then it comes from the power lines. b) There is electricity there but it discharges (I hope this is correct terminology) really fast when you unplug it. Say for instance, unplug a tool or vaccum in dark and you can sometimes see a spark coming from the outlet to the plug. I know once it is unplugged there is no more electricity flowing into the plug. I think it has something to do with how electicity flows. For instance, you can catch water or air in a pipe. You can put a cap on the end and there is still water in the pipe. You cannot do that with electricity with a extension cord. You also not do it with light. (ie shine a light into a tube, collect it, look inside and see light. This leads me to think they are somewhat related, but I don't know how really. I know many of you engineer types probably covered this is you first class or something; so try and explain what's going on in an extension cord when you unplug it. [/QUOTE]

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