Understanding the Speed of Power Transfer in Electrical Currents

[kiamzattu]

Hi
I've a small doubt regardin the speed of power transfer.v know tat electric current produces electric and magnetic field around it. So is it an EM wave? if its so then it should travel at velocity of light right? on the other hand the speed of electrons in a conductor is around 10^6 m/s. since motion of electrons is current, what is d actual speed of current? is it d velocity of light or speed of electrons?

Regards
Anand

 

[Astronuc]

The 'current' is related to the speed of the electrons (and their charge) in the wire.

Each charge produces an electric field, and a moving charge (current) produces a magnetic field. Electric and magnetic fields propagate at the speed of light.

A 60 Hz oscillation would produce a varying EM field of 60 Hz, which is very, very low frequency. Consider AM radio is hundred of kHZ (or 0.5 - 1.7 MHz), FM radio is (~88-107) MHz, and microwave is on the order of GHz.

 

[oswaler]

Hello Anand,

Thank you for your question regarding the speed of power transfer in electrical currents. To answer your question, let's first clarify what we mean by "speed of power transfer." In electrical currents, power is transferred through the movement of electrons. The speed of this movement, or the speed of electrons, is indeed quite fast at approximately 10^6 m/s. This is the speed at which the individual electrons move through the conductor.

However, it is important to note that this movement of electrons does not necessarily equate to the speed at which power is transferred. This is because electricity is not just the movement of electrons, but also the electromagnetic fields that are generated as a result of this movement. These fields, also known as EM waves, travel at the speed of light, which is approximately 3 x 10^8 m/s.

So, to answer your question, the speed of power transfer in electrical currents is a combination of both the speed of electrons and the speed of the electromagnetic fields. While the speed of electrons is much slower than the speed of light, it is still relatively fast and allows for efficient power transfer.

I hope this helps to clarify any confusion you may have had. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Best regards,