How Fast Do Electrons Move in a Wire? (Slower Than a Snail)

ELECTRICITY · QUICK QUESTION (ages 13–16 · GCSE · middle school science) Electrons in a wire move slower than a snail: about 0.07 mm per second for 1 amp in a normal copper wire. So why does the light come on the moment you flip the switch? Drift speed, the random speed of electrons (over 1000 km/s!), and why the signal is almost instant, explained simply in 4 minutes. With 2 quick checks: pause, pick A, B or C, and write your letter in the comments. Chapters 0:00 The puzzle 0:28 Inside a copper wire 1:18 How slow? 2:00 Why the light is instant 3:08 Recap BOSS QUESTION: you double the current in the same wire. What happens to the drift speed? Write your answer in the comments. Full lesson: Electricity Explained Simply, Circuits From Zero:    • Electricity Explained Simply — Circuits Fr...   Numbers: 1 A in 1 mm² copper gives a drift speed of about 7.4 × 10⁻⁵ m/s (University of St Andrews physics guide; Wikipedia, Drift velocity). More subjects explained simply: see the playlist "Start here" on the channel. #electricity #physics #science