system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
What is electrical energy?

In a circuit electrons are flowing through a wire from the negative pole to the positive pole. In this process they transfer a certain amount of energy to whatever consumes the energy in this circuit. My teacher pictures this energy as backpacks worn by the electrons, which are full before the energy is consumed and then emptied by the consumer after which the electrons move on to the positive pole of the battery. I would like to know what this energy actually is.

Thanks in advance!
gpt
This energy is potential energy. At the negative end of the battery it's like the electrons are at the top of a hill, and they roll down the hill to the positive end.

The backpacks are full of potential energy, and the trade this for a backpack of kinetic energy. The trade happens many times through the circuit as the electrons accelerate and hit bumps (thermal vibrations, other electrons, defects in the wire) on their way down the hill which is what resistance is.