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webberfolds
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Can electrical currents in a wire affect each other? Imagine racecars and how they affect each other in a race for this. Reply in simple english please.
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salzrah said:When you are talking about "electrical signals" I assume you mean the movement of electrons (which creates current). Electrons move through a wire in a very randomized motion and are always interacting with other electrons and the atoms inside the wire. The electrons in reality move forward, back, up, down and in all sorts of "random" motion. However, if there is a voltage between the ends of the wire, the electrons will in the end have an average velocity in one direction. So yes, the electrons are constantly being pushed around by other electrons and atoms, but ultimately have an average velocity (also called drift velocity) in one direction.
Here are some good links that can help you understand [some details I left out]-
http://pfnicholls.com/physics/current.html
salzrah said:When you are talking about "electrical signals" I assume you mean the movement of electrons (which creates current). Electrons move through a wire in a very randomized motion and are always interacting with other electrons and the atoms inside the wire. The electrons in reality move forward, back, up, down and in all sorts of "random" motion. However, if there is a voltage between the ends of the wire, the electrons will in the end have an average velocity in one direction. So yes, the electrons are constantly being pushed around by other electrons and atoms, but ultimately have an average velocity (also called drift velocity) in one direction.
Here are some good links that can help you understand [some details I left out]-
http://pfnicholls.com/physics/current.html
yungman said:I don't know of any easy way to explain this, it is not the movement of electrons in a pure transporting sense. If it is from moving of electrons, it will take a long time to go from one end of the wire to the other end. Drift velocity is very slow, the better the conductor, the slower electrons move.
If you apply a voltage at one end of the wire, you'll see the voltage at the other end of the wire traveling at almost light speed from the applied end to the measuring end. It is the EM wave that travel. Remember to every source, there must be a return path of electricity. The forward wire and the return wire form a wave guide that EM wave propagate in between. The voltage and current is the consequence of the boundary condition of the EM wave...
But of cause I can just tell you that when you apply a voltage at one end, the current travel from one end of the wire to the other end. That is what most people thing about and how most of the books' explanation. For the most part, it is good enough and they developed most of the formula using this concept. Just remember my first paragraph, if it is really electron movement, you can inject an electron at one end of the short cable, you'll have time to get a cup of coffee, then come back and wait for that electron to come out from the other end.
webberfolds said:When I wrote 'electrical current I meant the one that's almost the speed of light not the drift velocity. What's a more proper name for it? What's meant by forward wire and return wire, isn't an antenna only one wire? I don't know very much about this but I appreciate all the help!
yungman said:Antenna is not a single piece of wire, it is always two wires, be it a ground plane, dipole, loop etc.
webberfolds said:the electrons would have nowhere to go otherwise
Can electrical currents in a wire affect each other? Imagine racecars and how they affect each other in a race for this. Reply in simple english please.
When I wrote 'electrical current I meant the one that's almost the speed of light not the drift velocity.
What's meant by forward wire and return wire,
isn't an antenna only one wire?
So I'm trying to find out more about how it moves through wires.
Say there's a wire that separates into 2 wires, how can I predict how much electricity goes either way?
webberfolds said:Can electrical currents in a wire affect each other? Imagine racecars and how they affect each other in a race for this. Reply in simple english please.
Cyclix said:webberfolds, moving racecars affect each mostly through the Bernoulli's principle.
Now whether Bernoulli's principle can be applied to electrical current, well is it a fluid?
yungman said:The higher the current, the longer the arrow.
If you look at any point along the line on z direction, the EM wave moving at almost the speed of light, so one incident, the wave is at it's peak, a moment later, it's at 0 point. The surface current change accordingly, so if you measure the voltage at one fixed point, you see the change in the E field which give the voltage where V=d*E in this case. d is the separation between the bottom and the top plate as shown in the diagram.
Electricity moves through wires due to the flow of electrons. Electrons are negatively charged particles that move along the wire in a specific direction, creating an electric current. This flow of electrons is facilitated by the properties of the wire, such as its conductivity and resistance.
Voltage is the force that drives the flow of electrons through the wire. It is measured in volts and represents the potential difference between two points in an electrical circuit. A higher voltage means a greater force pushing the electrons and therefore a stronger current flowing through the wire.
The conductivity of a wire depends on its material and size. Materials that are more conductive, such as copper and silver, allow electrons to flow more easily. Additionally, thicker wires have a larger surface area for electrons to move through, resulting in better conductivity.
The flow of electrons through wires is possible because of the closed loop of an electrical circuit. In a closed circuit, the electrons are continuously pushed by the voltage source and return to the same point where they started, creating a continuous flow without getting lost.
Yes, electricity can move through all types of wires, but the speed and efficiency of the flow may vary. Some materials, such as copper and silver, are better conductors and therefore allow for a faster and more efficient flow of electricity. Other materials, such as rubber or plastic, may be used as insulation to prevent the flow of electricity and protect against electric shock.