Why do electrons like to "go to ground"?

Answer 1

Why does electricity in a circuit go to ground? Is that what you mean or why do excited electrons in return to the ground state?

The first one is due to the ability of the earth to absorb free energy. Electrons flow like water, following the path of least resistance to the lowest energy. Since the earth is a large low energy electron sink (able absorb excess electrons and disperse the charge rapidly) this is a very low energy state for a free electron. Thus is a circuit opportunity to ground is available, the electrons will readily travel thru that circuit to ground.

The second is due to the tendency of all nature to approach the point of lowest energy. An excited electron is at a higher energy state then it was at the ground state (due to increased principle quantum level) and returning to the lowest principle quantum level (or ground state) will result in the release of the excess energy (in the form of a photon of light) and a lower energy state for the atom or molecule.

Answer 2

are we talking about electrons going to their ground state or electricity in general going to ground? If it's generally electricity going to the ground then it's just the nature of electricity. It tries to get from an area of higher voltage to an area of lower voltage. Since the ground has a very low voltage then if you give it a path to travel there it will!!

Electrons go to their ground state when they emit radiation ie photons. Because of this they 'drop down' in energy equal to that of the emitted photon.

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

They don't flow to ground. Electrons flow due to electropotential difference. Where there's a a surplus of electrons, they flow to a region of electron deficiency (similar to heat).

When Benjamin Franklin made his conjecture regarding the direction of charge flow (from the smooth wax to the rough wool), he set a precedent for electrical notation that exists to this day, despite the fact that we know electrons are the constituent units of charge, and that they are displaced from the wool to the wax -- not from the wax to the wool -- when those two substances are rubbed together. This is why electrons are said to have a negative charge: because Franklin assumed electric charge moved in the opposite direction that it actually does, and so objects he called "negative" (representing a deficiency of charge) actually have a surplus of electrons.

However, because we tend to associate the word "positive" with "surplus" and "negative" with "deficiency," the standard label for electron charge does seem backward. Because of this, many engineers decided to retain the old concept of electricity with "positive" referring to a surplus of charge, and label charge flow (current) accordingly. This became known as conventional flow notation:

Answer 4

Ground is the term we use for zero electrical potential energy and electric current will flow toward zero potential energy. Remember that electric current is defined as the flow of positive charges, thus electrons would tend to flow away from ground.

Answer 5

The ground has a negative charge, attracting electrons. That's why lightning and stuff goes to the ground... I think...

Answer 6

Electrons all have a negative charge and like charges repel. They will go to ground to get away from each other.