Energy transfer in electrical circuits: A qualitative account

We demonstrate that the use of the Poynting vector for a model of the surface charge of a current carrying conductor can help qualitatively explain the transfer of energy in a dc closed circuit. The application of the surface charge model to a simple circuit shows that electromagnetic energy flows from both terminals of the battery, mainly in the vicinity of the wires (and not inside them) to the load where it enters and is converted into heat at a rate obtained from Ohm's law.