Speed of Electricity in Wiring - Why near light speed?

[f95toli]

The "speed of electricity" IS the speed of the electromagnetic waves; in a way you can think of electrons as the "medium" that the wave travels in (this is not quite correct, but close).
The fact that electrons happen to move around in the medium is more or less irrelevant; there is certainly no direct relation between their speed and the speed of the wave (or equivalenty the speed at which energy can be transfered).

The bulb lights up instantly because the necessary energy is carried by the wave; not the electrons (although in order for the bulb to light up that energy has to be converted from electromagnetic energy to heat via various scattering processes).

 

[antd]

I'm beginning to have a better understanding now!

Although, Wikipedia says 'the speed of electricity' is often confused with 'the propagation speed of an electromagnetic wave'. So in that sense 'the speed of electricity' is the speed of the electrons, and not of the EM wave.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_electricity

The bulb lights up instantly because the necessary energy is carried by the wave; not the electrons

What is the wave made of? Photons?

 

[Dale]

Although, Wikipedia says 'the speed of electricity' is often confused with 'the propagation speed of an electromagnetic wave'. So in that sense 'the speed of electricity' is the speed of the electrons, and not of the EM wave.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_electricity

The usual terminology for the average net velocity of the electrons is "drift velocity". In all of my years of experience I have never heard the drift velocity called "the speed of electricity". Wikipedia is notoriously unreliable.

Maybe the hyperphysics page will help:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/HBASE/electric/ohmmic.html

 

[antd]

Thanks.

Slowly learning not to trust wikipedia ;-)