What are the tiny negatively charged particles that flow through electricity?

Electrons are the tiny negatively charged particles that flow through electricity. They play a crucial role in electrical conductivity as they move through conductive materials, allowing electrical energy to travel from one point to another. Electrons are fundamental to the structure of atoms and are found in the outer layers surrounding the nucleus. When electricity is generated, it is the movement and flow of these electrons that create an electric current.

In contrast, protons are positively charged and are found in the nucleus of an atom, playing no role in the flow of electricity. Neutrons, also located within the nucleus, have no charge and similarly do not contribute to electrical conductivity. Ions can carry electrical charge as well, but they are defined as atoms or molecules that have lost or gained electrons and are charged as a whole. While ions can participate in electrical currents, the specific answer focuses on the standard carriers of electric charge within conductive materials, which are electrons.