0
In a conducting wire, an electrical current will flow at about 2/3 the speed of light in a vacuum, or 200,000 km/sec. Note that the speed of the individual electrons is quite a bit less, and the average speed of the electrons is less than a millimeter per second. It is the CURRENT that advances at 2/3 the speed of light, not the electrons.
AnswerThe free electrons in a metal conductor move in random directions at a very high speed -a little less than the speed of light. This is the case whether or not a potential difference (or an electric field) is applied across the ends of that conductor.
However, when a potential difference is applied, these randomly-moving electrons are slightly biased towards the positive end of the conductor. So if a randomly moving but unbiased electron would normally end up at, say, point A, within the conductor then, under an electric field, it would end up at point B instead -where point B is typically less than the diameter of an atom away from point A. So individual electrons move along a conductor at speeds in the order of millimetres per hour.
As current is defined as a drift of electric charge (free electrons, in the case of metal conductors), this means that the velocity of this drift and, therefore, an electric current is very, v-e-r-y, slow! However, the effect of that current is felt immediately along the whole length of that conductor in much the same way that a number of railway wagons respond, practically instantaneously, to a small movement of just one of those wagons.
Electric current is so slow that, in practical terms, it's unlikely that an individual electron will complete its journey through the filament of a flashlight within the lifetime of its battery!
What else can I help you with?
What does an electrical current flow in?
Electrical conductors.
A flow of electrical charges is known as an?
A flow of electrical charges running through a medium is known as an electrical current.
What does a load do to the flow of electrical current in a series circuit?
A load increases the flow of electrical current in a series circuit. No load, no flow.
Difference between electrical current and electrical charge?
current is the flow of charge.
What device is used to adjust the flow of electrical current?
A device used to adjust the flow of electrical current is called a resistor.
What causes a current in an electrical current?
Electrons flow because of electrical attraction and repulsion.
What is the flow of current through a wire known as?
The flow of current through a wire is known as electrical current.
In automotive electrical circuits current is considered to flow from?
In automotive, electrical circuits current is considered to flow from the battery. Most cars will have a 12-volt battery which will provide the electrical circuits current.
An electrical current will always flow?
An electrical current will only flow in a closed loop or circuit where there is a complete path for the electricity to follow. If there is a break in the circuit or an open switch, the current will not flow.
How does a resistor affect the flow of current in an electrical circuit?
A resistor restricts the flow of current in an electrical circuit by resisting the flow of electrons. This causes a decrease in the amount of current that can pass through the circuit.
What is a current in electricity?
The flow of electrons is called an electrical current.
What is the name for the flow of electrons in an electric circuit?
A flow of electrons in an electrical circuit is called a current, which is the name given to the amount of electrical charge flowing in a certain period of time.Any total quantity of electrical charge is measured in coulombs.Any flow of electrical current is measured in amps.1 amp is equal to a flow of 1 coulomb of electrical charge in one second of time.
