someone help me,do electrons actually move or they simply align in one direction when a voltage is applied across a conductor?if they move is there any effect of their movement in a conductor?and if they not move why we pin the term drift velocity?
Yes charge moves: I = Q/t or coulombs/sec drift velocity. The effect of their movement? You mean like generating a magnetic field, and/or heat, and/or skin effect (in the case of high frequency alternating current)? Is that why you are asking?
I think there is a bit more to this question: My limited understanding is that electrons do not flow at light speed along a conductor but the effect of the current flow allows signal to pass at near light speed along conductors. I hope someone can say a little more.
No is the short answer to this not all conductors have the same level of conduction
A lot of people think of electron flow as electrons moving along a wire freely like cars go down a highway. Actually, it works a little differently. Any conductor (thing that electricity can go through) is made of atoms. Each atom has electrons in it. If you put new electrons in a conductor, they will join atoms, and each atom will spit out an electron to the next atom. This next atom takes in the electron and spits out another one on the other side.
What about the fact that metals, especially the more highly conductive metals like copper, silver and gold, have "free electrons" -- called that because they wonder freely in the material. So, perhaps it's not always the case that an electron is kicked off an atom. I think the actual driving (and equalizing) force (or factor) is the electric field, and the need to keep it in balance. An electric field is applied across a conductor and due to the attractive and repulsive forces between the field and the electrons (or charge carriers [such a _holes_ in a semiconductor, or ions in a plasma, or, what the heck, positrons in whatever system they might exist]) are propelled (or compelled) by the imbalance. Where the charge carrier comes from is immaterial. It might be an electron stripped from an atom or it might be a free electron accelerated by the field.
What is a free electron Steve?? if it hastnt been emitted by an atom, uhm periodic ,table maybe
Noble gas structure!! Hmmmmm interesting
Which atoms are the most unstable Steve ??
For more information Steve And back to basics me old mucker Standard 8 in Johannesburg Jolly old Rotten South Africa where education is just so diabolical ,there you will find my dear friend that we studied this back in the early 70s And education which Britain has so dearly insulted for decades and where degrees are not recognized by Britain until of course, you attend Goldsmiths College based in Lewisham and there sitting in the class to this very day You will find people that cannot add up , cannot do fractions , cannot factorise , do not know about SI standards, never mind periodic tables , but are studying electronics and all manor of assorted subjects
Whilst dear old jolly old britain with record debts and record companies going bust then proclaim tut tut tut , The rest of the worlds education inclusive South Africa where we did beat the the poor blacks yup !! plus ball the other political scandal ha hooo , turned on us like no tomorrow whilst we manufactured our own oil stood in the face of terrorism now strongly evident in britain ,ha ha , and whoopsy would you just believe this too are seeing riots escalate just as we did In south africa back in the 70's , now the 80's and the 90's In britain as well
Oh dear calamity !! shucky wucky Of course i suppose thats our fault as well hmmm Yes ok !!
Companies refuse to invest and those that do What do they do yes my jolly od fruit They shiut them down curtisy none other than the Banks of england TRUE !!! 100 Precent TRUE all of it !!
Not that Goldsmiths College is a bad college just that educational standards in Britain my dear friend ,thanks to Governments both past and present have been ignored as to have training schemes for decades They don’t force people to do propriety subjects and what have they done stuffed the country up
Same old argument all over again !! Well, well, well Apart from what else Steve firing and making teachers redundant left right and center just like they normally do What eles Steve Closing schools left right and centre
Where eles Steve Universities, Dont need the maths teachers after year 1.5
Rubbish !! They do !!
Good isnt it !! What does this do for Britain ?? Turns this country into a third world country Steve !! Thats all it does !!
Still want to vote for conservatives do we ??
Sum this up for you yet does it !! OH Yah ,, Now its comming out isnt it !!
The atom will gain or loose electrons until it has the same count of electrons as the nearest noble gas. Noble gas electron configurations are configured "stable". This type of configuration is "desired" in both ionic and covalent bonding.
Let's take Lithium and Fluorine for example.
Lithium is closest to Helium. If it looses 1 electron, it can have the same configuration as He. Fluorine is closest to Neon. If it looses 1 electron, it can have the same configuration as Ne.
Hence, Lithium looses an electron becoming a positive cation, and Fluorine gains an electron, becoming a Fluoride anion.
As a result: Lithium Fluoride is formed.
-------------- Had lithium attempted to gain electrons, it would need seven extra electrons to become a Lithide anion. Such an ion doesn't exist.
Had Fluorine attempted to loose electrons, it would need to loose seven electrons to become a Fluorium cation. Such an ion doesn't exist. ------------ Hydrogen is unique because it can both gain and loose electrons in ionic bonding:
If Hydrogen looses its electron, it becomes a hydrogen ion, which is a cation. It now has the electron configuration of the "noble gas Zeron", meaning it has no electrons and is just a free proton.
If Hydrogen gains an electron, it becomes a hydride ion, which is an anion. It now has the electron configuration of the noble gas Helium.
-------------------- Helium can also become an ion. Its name ends in "-ium" because it was actually discovered on Earth as its positive ion. The helium ion has the electron configuration of Zeron. Such an ion is 2 protons and 2 neutrons in a nucleus. This is termed an alpha particle. It is the result of radioactive decay. Later, it eventually finds two stray electrons and becomes the Helium gas we use for balloons and blimps.
Once Helium is a complete atom, it is extremely difficult to return it to the alpha particles, since it already has a stable configuration.
Co Valent bonding .... Strike a bell does it !! Outer electrical orbit !! hmmm
I had a similar question like this & I'll tell you how it was explained to me.
Any type of circuit is obviously hooked up to a battery & inside the battery are the electrons. And we should all know that electors have a negative charge (e-). So inside the battery, these negative electrons are extremely attracted to the positive charge of the (+) positive terminal, which can be see on almost any battery, & they are repelled by the negative terminal (-). So when the battery is connected to something that allows current to flow, like a copper wire, the electrons flow from negative to positive, hence why the electron is negative.
Now before I get any further, the statement above is not ALWAYS TRUE. Current flow can go from positive to negative terminals when a batteries are hooked up to something with a HUGE (bigger than that of the battery) voltage difference. This is an example of battery charger (rechargeable batteries.)
The chemical reaction is what pushes the electrons inside toward the negative end, because the electrodes at the two ends are made of different materials, which have different chemical stabilities. So overall, electrons flow AROUND the circuit, toward the negative end inside the battery, pushed by the chemical reaction, and toward the positive end in the outside circuit, pushed by the electrical voltage.
And to answer you question about drift velocity of electrons I will tell you depending on what type of physics you're studying it really just depends. Electrons DO MOVE, but many people think that it is so negligible it's better off teaching people they don't. You have to have view OHM'S LAW at a microscopic level. It's very interesting stuff, but if you're taking classical physics (calculus-based) they should teach you this.
Also, I'm not talking about Nobel Gases (which aren't metals, at least not at or near STP). BUT, there are free electrons in an ionized Nobel Gas (i.e. Plasma) -- that's essentially what _ionized_ means, some or all of the electrons have been separated from the atom, leaving it with a positive charge because there are no longer enough elections to balance out the charge of the protons.
I didn't much more than the first paragraph -- so can't respond to any more than that
✨ Electrons in a conductor do physically move, but their motion differs from common intuition. When a voltage is applied, electrons drift slowly with a small average velocity called drift velocity, which results in an electric current (I = Q/t). This movement of charge carriers generates effects such as magnetic fields, heat, and phenomena like the skin effect at high frequencies. The conduction mechanism involves free electrons in metals, which are loosely bound and can move through the lattice, propelled by the electric field. Rather than electrons traveling at near light speed, the electrical signal propagates rapidly due to the electric field's influence, while individual electrons move much slower. Electron flow is often described as atoms exchanging electrons rather than electrons traveling freely like cars on a highway. The concept of free electrons is central to understanding conduction in metals like copper, silver, and gold. The discussion also touches on atomic electron configurations and the stability of noble gas structures, which relate to electron gain or loss in ionic bonding but are distinct from conduction electron behavior. Educational resources and lecture notes on solid-state physics and microelectronic devices provide further detailed explanations.
TL;DR: Electrons do move; their drift speed in copper is about millimeters per second, while the signal propagates near light speed. “The electrons themselves move very slowly.” “Microscopic View of Ohm’s Law”
Why it matters: This FAQ helps students, hobbyists, and engineers clarify how current actually flows so they can reason about heat, EMI, and wiring choices.
Quick Facts
Typical electron drift velocity in a 1 mm² copper wire at 1 A is on the order of mm/s; the field propagates much faster. “Microscopic View of Ohm’s Law”
Signal/field speed in cables is a significant fraction of c due to the medium’s velocity factor, not the electron speed. Physics Van: Do electrons move?
In metals, conduction uses “free” conduction-band electrons described by the free-electron model. Free electron model
Moving charge creates magnetic fields and dissipates heat: I²R losses appear where current flows. AAC Vol 1 Ch 1: What is Current?
Do electrons physically move in a conductor when voltage is applied?
Yes. An electric field pushes conduction electrons, giving them a small net drift velocity superimposed on random thermal motion. The observable effects include magnetic fields around conductors and resistive heating. “Electrons do move; the drift speed is very slow compared with the signal’s speed.” Physics Van: Do electrons move?
If electrons move so slowly, why do lights turn on almost instantly?
The signal is the electromagnetic field establishing along the circuit at a significant fraction of light speed. Electrons only nudge slightly; the field communicates the push quickly through the conductor-dielectric system. That’s why devices respond essentially immediately over household distances. Physics Van: Do electrons move?
What is electron drift velocity, in plain terms?
Drift velocity is the average net speed of charge carriers under an electric field. In copper carrying 1 A through 1 mm², it’s about millimeters per second. It depends on current, carrier density, charge, and area via v = I/(nqA). “Microscopic View of Ohm’s Law”
Do electrons “hop” atom to atom or flow like a fluid?
In metals, many outer electrons occupy conduction bands and behave like a gas of charge carriers. Under an electric field, this electron gas drifts; it’s not discrete hopping in the classical sense. The free‑electron model captures this behavior for many metals. Free electron model
Where does the magnetic field around a wire come from?
Moving charge creates a magnetic field encircling the current path. The field strength increases with current, and the energy dissipated as heat follows I²R. This is why higher currents demand thicker conductors and careful layout. AAC Vol 1 Ch 1: What is Current?
Is electron flow direction the same as conventional current?
No. Conventional current points from positive to negative. In metal conductors, electrons drift from negative to positive. Both conventions predict the same measurable results when used consistently. AAC Vol 1 Ch 1: What is Current?
How fast does a signal travel in a wire or cable?
The field travels at a fraction of light speed set by the dielectric’s permittivity (velocity factor). Typical cables fall around 0.5–0.8c. The electrons’ drift remains much slower and does not limit signal speed in this context. Physics Van: Do electrons move?
What causes heating in conductors if electrons move so slowly?
Collisions between drifting electrons and the lattice convert electrical energy into thermal energy. Power lost as heat follows P = I²R. Good design minimizes resistance and manages heat with proper gauge and cooling. AAC Vol 1 Ch 1: What is Current?
What is the skin effect, and when should I care?
At high frequency, alternating current crowds near the surface, reducing effective cross‑section and raising AC resistance. It’s negligible at DC but matters for RF, high‑speed digital, and long AC runs. [Elektroda, Steve Lawson, post #21666826]
Do free electrons really exist in metals at room temperature?
Yes. In many metals, valence electrons occupy a conduction band and act as mobile carriers with minimal binding, enabling metallic conductivity. The free‑electron model explains many bulk properties despite its simplifications. Free electron model
How do batteries make electrons move through a circuit?
A chemical reaction maintains an electric potential between terminals, creating an electric field in the connected circuit. That field drives electrons through the external path while chemistry shuttles charge internally. AAC Vol 1 Ch 1: What is Current?
Can current flow from positive to negative in practice?
Conventional current direction is defined as positive to negative. In some systems with different carriers (holes, ions), carrier motion aligns with this convention. Use the convention consistently for analysis and polarity labeling. AAC Vol 1 Ch 1: What is Current?
How can I estimate drift velocity for my wire? (3‑step)
Find current I and wire cross‑section A.
Use copper’s electron density n ≈ 8.5×10^28 m⁻³ and charge q = 1.602×10⁻¹⁹ C.
Compute v = I/(n q A). Compare across gauges to see how area affects v. “Microscopic View of Ohm’s Law”
Do semiconductors and plasmas carry current the same way as metals?
They carry current via different carriers. Semiconductors use electrons and holes; plasmas use ions and electrons. The electric field still drives carriers, but densities and mobilities differ from metals. MIT 8.02 Study Guide 6
What’s an authoritative resource to study microscopic current flow?
Study band theory basics and drift‑diffusion. Good starting points include MIT OCW notes on carrier transport and field propagation, which tie physics to circuits. MIT 6.012 Lecture 3 Notes
What is an edge case where intuition fails?
In superconductors, electrons form Cooper pairs and move without resistance below a critical temperature. Drift can exist with essentially zero I²R heating, defying normal conductor intuition. MIT 8.02 Study Guide 6
