How do electrons flow in an electric circuit?

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SUMMARY

The flow of electrons in an electric circuit operates through a domino effect rather than a single electron traveling from the source to the destination. When a voltage is applied, free electrons in a conductor are pushed, causing a wave-like motion that propagates through the material. This means that while the initial motion appears instantaneous, it is actually a disturbance that travels through the conductor, allowing all electrons to begin moving in unison shortly after the circuit is completed. The charge carriers in this process are primarily free electrons, which are not bound to any specific atom.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic electrical concepts, including voltage and current.
  • Familiarity with the properties of conductors and free electrons.
  • Knowledge of wave propagation and its distinction from particle movement.
  • Basic comprehension of atomic structure and electron behavior in materials.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the role of free electrons in electrical conductivity.
  • Explore the principles of wave propagation in different mediums.
  • Study the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance in Ohm's Law.
  • Investigate the behavior of electrons in various types of conductors and insulators.
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, electrical engineers, and anyone interested in understanding the fundamental principles of electricity and electron flow in circuits.

lnsanity
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I want to know if the flow of electron act like a domino effect where 1 electron enter 1 atom than 1 extra electron of that atom is ejected and so on or is it the same electron that move from where the current is produce to your home.
 
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It's the first one, though there is a transmission delay that makes it much more like a wave.
 
russ_watters said:
It's the first one, though there is a transmission delay that makes it much more like a wave.

Wave is a self propagating moving disturbance I think it is different than moving electron.
 
Last edited:
I think I explained that poorly: it is only the start of the motion that is wavelike. If you have a tube filled with ping pong balls and you push a ping pong ball into one end, one drops out the other end. At first glance, this may appear to be instantaneous, but it isn't. The motion starts as a wave propagating through the balls.
 
yeah, the electron doesn't need to go all the way around the circuit to start powering a lightbulb. It is as russ said, the electrons at one end get pushed, and these electrons push other electrons, which means that after a (very) short amount of time, all the electrons start moving around in a circuit.

Also, in a conductor, there are electrons which are not associated with any atom, they are (almost completely) free electrons, these are the ones which are the charge carriers. So it is not really true that the electrons are going from atom to atom, more that they travel past the atoms.
 

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