Logically it cannot be speed of light because mass of electrons would reach infinity...which is impossible...
2006-06-20 20:46:14 · 11 answers · asked by robin 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Question: Exactly how fast do electrons travel?
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Answer: Electrons can have a wide range of speeds. A slow case: we know that
electrons move when there is a current flow in a wire, but the speed at
which the electrons themselves move in the wire -- the so-called electron
drift velocity -- surprises most people. For example, for a copper wire of
radius 1 mm carrying a steady current of 10 amps, the drift velocity is
only about 0.024 cm/sec ! On the fast side: the Bohr model of the hydrogen
atom has the (bound) electron zipping around the nucleus at about 2 million
meters/sec. And on the very fast side, some examples are: beta particles,
which are emitted by some radioactive materials; and the innermost elec-
trons of atoms of elements having large atomic number, such as uranium. In
these cases the electrons are traveling at very nearly the speed of light.
(about 300 million meters/sec).
Rcwinther
2006-06-20 20:51:55 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
see there is something known as drift velocity
u have a natural doubt that makes me belive ur good at physics
they certainly cant move at speed of light thats only ur imagination
when u put a simple battery acrossa resistance..the electrons are accelerated. Now electric resistance of the wire should obstruct this acceleration.
In a steady state due to the acceleration of battery and due to resistance of wire the electrons move at a finite speed.
As u might already be guessing that this speed is a function of both applied voltage and nature of material (resistivity and not resistance)
I would suggest u to do a yahoo/google search into drift velocity to find the correct formula for drift velocity.
And this term is nothing unique u will be told about it at some point in ur life if u pursue physics.
2006-06-20 20:57:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The drift velocity of free electrons that make up a current in a wire is between a few mm and a few cm per second - ie very slow.
An electrical signal propogates fast because when you pop one electron in at one end of a wire the displacement it causes propogates at close to the speed of light to the other end of the wire and pops another electron out there.
It is a relativistic correction to this very slow drift velocity that is the source of electromagentism. This shows that relativity does not only apply at high speeds.
2006-06-20 20:50:53 · answer #3 · answered by Epidavros 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I were riding atop the electron (or inside it to be more exact) I would be moving at precisely the speed of zero. But that wire buzzing by is going awefully fast.
"As current"? What kind of weird electrical engineering classical mechanical nonsense do you want me to answer with? "current" today's electrical engineers just "think" they know. Drift current and all that. At the atomic level it's pure nonsense. They all flunk. If only they'd get their noses out of the books and ride the electron once in a while.
:)
2006-06-29 15:01:56 · answer #4 · answered by thoughfulme 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The speed with which the electrons move in a wire is called the DRIFT velocity.
It is given by the formula,
i = nave
i - current
n- number of electrons passing through
a- area of cross section of the wire.
v - drift velocity
e- charge of the electron.
2006-06-20 20:53:55 · answer #5 · answered by SRS 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO NO NO... electrons do no longer go back and forth the speed of sunshine. the electric powered feild will go back and forth the speed of sunshine. even if the electrons them selves go back and forth at max round 10^6 m/s. it truly is the fermi speed. ok... now allow me clarify. the electric powered feild will go back and forth at almost the speed of sunshine because it is going to hint out the direction of least resistance from one end of the battery to the different. This feild then impacts the electrons contained in the wires (or inspite of) and motives them to start up to bypass. On average the speed at which those electorons go back and forth is amazingly small(10^-3 m/s). yet there are some tedious caclulations that stem from quantum mechanics which will prepare that no longer all the electrons go back and forth even on the point of that speed. Infact the quickest ones are the in undemanding words ones that carry the present. they have an average speed of ~10^6 m/s. yet they're shifting hundereds of cases below the speed of sunshine. even if the time that it takes the first one contained in the cord to start up to bypass to the time that it takes for the in simple terms precise one is autonomous of the speed of the electrons, that section relies upon on the speed of sunshine.
2016-11-15 01:33:19 · answer #6 · answered by andeee 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
depends upon the material of the wire.. hmm... seems to me.. the "drift" speed of electrons in wire has been calculated to be 2 or 3 meters per second.
drift speed is the speed of individual electrons through the material.. not the effects of electricity.
2006-07-04 04:06:05 · answer #7 · answered by ♥Tom♥ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the speed of electrons is nearly the speed of light because of their relative energy and strength. according to our space time logic relativity applies. and what do you mean electrons as current? flow of electrons is itself termed as current.
secondly electrons have negligible mass. it is hypothetically known that they have some mass.
2006-06-20 20:58:02 · answer #8 · answered by ankitd 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
that is what voltage is, the pressure or speed of the electrons
2006-07-04 07:04:51 · answer #9 · answered by jon s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its something close to speed of light,,, maybe around 0.9 times speed of light
2006-06-20 23:17:11 · answer #10 · answered by sibtain w 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋