Electricity and other electromagnetic effects happen because tiny particles called electrons move and interact with each other. At the very small, quantum level, these interactions are carried by photons, which are the particles that transmit the electromagnetic force. Most of the photons involved in everyday electricity are virtual photons, which means they are invisible and only exist while transferring the force between charges—they aren’t like the photons of light that we can see.

When lots of electrons interact together, their combined effect shows up as voltage, current, or EMF, which we can measure and use in circuits. So, even though photons are behind the scenes causing the forces between charges, we only experience the overall effect as electricity. That’s why we don’t call it a “photon force.”

Electricity and other electromagnetic effects happen because tiny particles called electrons move and interact with each other. At the very small, quantum level, these interactions are carried by photons, which are the particles that transmit the electromagnetic force. Most of the photons involved in everyday electricity are virtual photons, which means they are invisible and only exist while transferring the force between charges—they aren’t like the photons of light that we can see.

When lots of electrons interact together, their combined effect shows up as voltage, current, or emf, which we can measure and use in circuits. So, even though photons are behind the scenes causing the forces between charges, we only experience the overall effect as electricity. That’s why we don’t call it a “photon force.”