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In wires and other conductors, electrons travel very slowly. They drift along at molasses speeds, like 1 mm/sec.

In vacuum tubes, electrons travel more quickly, around 1% of the speed of light.

But the speed of the electrons isn't really important for circuits. What matters is the speed of electric field waves. These waves travel down the wire almost up to the speed of light, and they are responsible for the "instantaneous" effects we see from electricity.

Think of a wave traveling across the surface of a slow-moving river, or the speed at which sound waves travel through slow-moving air. Waves can travel much faster than the medium that carries them.

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Q: How fast do electrons travel?
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CFL tubes work on the principal of fluorescent effects produced by electrons. Electrons emitted from the cathode in CFL tubes are incident on the chemicals pasted on inner walls of the CFL tube and visible light is produced there as a result of fluorescence. Now, since the electron beams travel only in straight lines, the CFL tube has to be linearly straight for optimum incidence of electrons on the walls of CFL device.


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Electricity produces work when the electrons in a conductor


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The speed of electrons vary, according to charge or voltage. But most electrons travel just under the speed of light. The speed of light is 186,000 miles per sec. meaning an electron could completely circle the Earth 7 times in 1 second. That is fast.


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Electrons do not move fast.


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A calculator can only operate as fast as the electrons that carry the current through its circuits. Electrons have mass, and mass can never travel at the speed of light; therefore, calculators do not operate at the speed of light.


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Electrons will travel farther distances at a lower voltage.


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