- #1
Utter Novice
- 7
- 0
I have a question which is driving me nuts. I have, in all probability, got the wrong end of the stick somewhere, and if so I would be really grateful if someone could pinpoint my confusion.
One reads in introductory Physics books that an electric current IS moving electrons.
But I have also read that the speed of movement of electrons in a DC circuit is rather slow, yet the current moves very quickly indeed.
In an AC circuit there is, apparently, no net directional movement of electrons. Furthermore
the electricity company don't send electrons out through your wall socket.
So, it seems to me, moving electrons can't be the current, all they can be is the facilitators of current. The analogy that strikes me is that of a wave moving across the ocean, water molecules are able to move about which enables the wave to pass through them, but there is little (if any) net directional movement in water molecules despite the very fast speeds encountered in phenomena such as Tsunamis.
Is this all hopelessly muddled? If not then what exactly is electrical current?
One reads in introductory Physics books that an electric current IS moving electrons.
But I have also read that the speed of movement of electrons in a DC circuit is rather slow, yet the current moves very quickly indeed.
In an AC circuit there is, apparently, no net directional movement of electrons. Furthermore
the electricity company don't send electrons out through your wall socket.
So, it seems to me, moving electrons can't be the current, all they can be is the facilitators of current. The analogy that strikes me is that of a wave moving across the ocean, water molecules are able to move about which enables the wave to pass through them, but there is little (if any) net directional movement in water molecules despite the very fast speeds encountered in phenomena such as Tsunamis.
Is this all hopelessly muddled? If not then what exactly is electrical current?