Under what condition may electricity flow?

Electricity flows through a conductor when a complete circuit is formed, which means that there is a continuous pathway for the electric current to travel. This pathway allows electric charge to move from the power source, through the load (or device), and back to the source, enabling energy transfer to occur.

In practical terms, for a circuit to be complete, it must include an unbroken path where conductors connect through components, such as resistors, capacitors, or loads. If there is any break in the circuit, such as a disconnected wire or a faulty component, the flow of electricity is interrupted, and the current cannot reach its destination.

While grounding a circuit is an important safety feature and can direct excess current away, it does not facilitate the flow of normal operating current unless the circuit is complete. Similarly, measuring voltage gives information about the electrical potential between two points in the circuit, but it does not indicate whether a complete circuit is present for current to flow.