What is the speed of electrons (electricity) through metal wires?..?
413107
I will have to answer your question in two parts.\n\nElectrons in a piece of metal move around randomly with speeds of about 10^5 m/s. This is just the thermal velocity associated with the energy the electrons possess without any electric field present.\nWhen an electric field is applied, the electrons acquire a miniscule drift velocity. This velocity is miniscule compared to both the thermal velocity AND the speed of light.\nElectrons flowing as a current have speeds no where near the speed of light, whether you speak about the thermal or drift velocities.\n\nHOWEVER, the SIGNAL DOES travel close to the speed of light. Signal speeds are typically about 2/3 the speed of light. Just do a simple coaxial cable calculation to find a wave equation, and you can find the conduction speed.\nThe reason for this is that the Electric field applied can cause electrons ALL THROUGHOUT the circuit to move, and thus the speed of the signal is greater than the drift speed of the electrons.\n\nThe other answers are wrong in saying that ELECTRONS travel close to the speed of light.\nIt is correct to say that ELECTRICAL SIGNALS travel close to the speed of light, however.
395091
A conductor is a metal such as copper. The outer elctrons of the copper atoms are shielded by the inner shells of electrons so these outer electrons tend to easily move between and around the copper atoms. If a potential is applied to a piece of copper wire then it's these excess electrons that create a current flow in the wire. The is the property of a conductor.\n\nAn insulator on the other hand is formed from atoms that have strong bonds to the outer electrons of each atom. When a electric potential is applied then nothing happens as the atoms won't provide anything for electrons to flow. Silicon and oxygen atoms bonded together make good insulator.
910437
Depends a lot on the type of bulb but assuming an incandescent it would be virtually instantly. Remember from physics that the electron current  velocity does not have to be very high at all because what is actually happening is a displacement of electrons throughout the entire length of the wire. It only takes a few extra electrons per linear meter to produce a rapid displacement of electrons throughout the wire\n\nSorry DW electrons do not travel at C in a wire. That is a bad misconception propagated by incompetent high school physics teachers.
20778
The basic rule of thumb is any metal.  Silver, gold, iron, copper, and aluminum are a few examples.  Copper is commonly used in electrical wiring because it is durable, inexpensive, and easy to bend.  \n\nAs previous stated, the "gold connectors" on your cables provide very little help.  In pure definition, they conduct electricity more efficiently than copper.  However, the cost delivers little results unless you are investing $50,000 in your home theater sytem.  Then you might tell a difference.\n\nHope it helps!
108187
No it wouldn't travel faster than the speed of light.\n\nThe frequency has no effect on things whatsoever. I can only assume that you think think that a 60 hZ cycle means the electrons have to travel between the east and west coast and back again 60 times every second. That is not true. Eletricity doens't work by a literal flow of electrons but by the motion of electrons, which is not the same thing.\n\nWhen the currrent reverses diection the elctrons don't all fly back along the cable. Instead the motion reverses. Think the electrons like a column of marching soldiers a mile long. When the Seargent Major orders an about  face the line changes direction of movement but the lead soldier doesn't have to actually run a mile to the other end. All that happens is that the lead soldier changes.\n\nIn exactly the way, when the current changes the flow reverses and the 'terminal' electron becomes the lead and vice versa. Nothing actually runs from one coast to the other.
141754
Electromagnetic waves??? thats something ive never heard of before. how about posting the article or the website online? \n\ni do know that electricity can be "transmitted" by magnetism, via electromagnetic induction. according to faraday's law, a changing rate of magnetic flux linkage induces an electromotive force, and thus induces current on a conductor. check out faraday's law at wikipedia for more info dude...
347377
At the very basics it has to do with magnetic fields. When a conductor (ie copper wire) is move across (perpendicular to) a magnet-ic field it causes the electrons in the copper wire to move\n\nthis is very basic info and their are other ways like solar cells (due to electron excitment in a different manner)
499681
Not the same electron, but the same number of electrons.  An electron enters one end of a wire, say, and winds up pushing an electron out the other side.  That's a simplified explanation, but that's essentially it.\n\nAnd just to make things confusing, the direction of the current is opposite to the direction of electron flow.  Go figure.
112062
Heat conductivity? electrical?
713269
Faraday's Law!\n\nMass Plated = t * I * MW / (n * F)\n\nt = time\nI = current (Amps)\nMW = mol weight of metal\nn = valence charge of metal\nF = Faraday's Constant (96,500 Coulombs/mol e-)\n\nSo....\n\nt = 2 days * 24 hours/day * 3600s/hour = 172800s\nI = 7.60 A\nMW = 51.94 g/mol\nn = 3 mol e- / mol M\n\nPlug it all in and you should get 235.62g of Cr.
560909
Not really.  It's the movement of electrons, so they're different things, but without electrons, I don't think there would be electricity.  But if the same electrons are just sitting around, that's not electricity either.\n\nIt's like asking what's the mass of 55mph?  It doesn't really work like that.  Your car might be able to go 55mph but it has the same mass at 55mph as it does when it's not moving.
364039
depends on the medium they are transmitted through- if current in a wire, light in a vacuum is faster, if electron flow through a vacuum, like a radio signal- nearly same speed with light having a tiny edge.
763497
There is not one speed to electricity, there are two.\n\nThe electron drift rate, determined by the number of conductors, the applied, field, and the mean free path, and the field transfer rate aka the speed of light in the material.\n\nAll conductors have resistance - its like friction for electricity.  Even "superconductors" have it, thought its a lot less than in other conductors.  Just like a ball you roll eventually stops, so will electron motion.\n\nIf you had a superconducting power strip, and a very fast plugger, you could make it plug into itself and it would glow for a long time.  The light would make it glow for a lot less long of a time.  Thats all about initial current voltage, and internal resistance.
918817
I will put it in the order that is easiest to understand.\n\nAmpere: the speed at which electrons pass through\n(1A = 1 coulomb/second, where 1 coulomb is 6.24x10^18 electrons)\n\nWatt: the speed at which work (in joules) is done\n(1W = 1Joule/second. A joule is the amount of work, in Newtons (if you've done physics) x meters,)\n\nVolt:  Watts per Ampere, or Joules per Coulomb\n\nOhm: The RESISTANCE, by Volts per Ampere.
287143
From Rule 1 and 2 we are ready to obtain an expression for one of the atomic properties, in this case is the velocity of the electron. Multiply both sides of Eq.(1) by r/mv, we obtain\n\nv= Z e2/4p eo mvr\n\nbut mvr in the denominator of this equation can be replaced nh/2 pi. we immediately have an explicit expression for the allowed values of velocity of the electron,\n\nv = Z e2/2peoh n ...(3)\n\nEq. (3) tells us that the velocity of the electron is directly proportional to the nuclear charge Z (in case of hydrogen Z=1) and inversely proportional to the principle quantum number n.\n\nvn = 2.188 x 106 m/s x (Z/n)\n\nFor H, n = 1.\n\n2,188,000 m/s = 4,894,000 miles per hour\n= 0.729 %c, c = speed of light in vacuum, 3 x 10^8 m/s
57062
When u apply potential difference to 2 ends of conductors this free electrons being negatively charged get attracted towards + potential. This results inflow of current.
171066
An electric current is the amount of charge flowing through a fixed position over a period of time. Current is measured in amperes, charge in coulombs, and time in seconds. So an ampere is the amount of coulombs (charge) that flow through a region in one second.\n\nPositive charged particles (protons) don't move; they stay is the atom's nucleus. Negative charged particles (electrons) surround the atom's nucleus and are free to move from atom to atom.\n\nSo more specifically current is the flow of positive charge. This means that the flow of current is in the opposite direction as the flow of electrons. Or current is the rate at which electrons flow out of a region.