>[0](electrons move at ~c, more or less) Pedantic: electrons (in a wire) move at relatively ordinary speeds. Wikipedia says this [0]: >The drift velocity in a

>[0](electrons move at ~c, more or less) Pedantic: electrons (in a wire) move at relatively ordinary speeds. Wikipedia says this [0]: >The drift velocity in a 2 mm diameter copper wire in 1 ampere current is approximately 8 cm per hour. AC voltages cause no net movement. The electrons oscillate back and forth in response to the alternating electric field Think of it more like a long row of billiard balls. You hit the first one, it moves a little, then it hits the next one, that one moves a little etc. Except the "hit" is just getting closer to the next electron to make it move (like if they were magnets). At least that's my understanding of it. --- Maybe "hit" is the correct word? Isn't it the same forces at play that stop my hand from going through the table? --- [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_electricity https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_electricity