Spark image

Electric current

This animation shows the random motion of electrons in a metal wire when a potential difference is applied across the wire and a current flows through the wire.

The electrons are in random motion but also drift towards the positive end of the wire.

N.B in real life there would be collisions between the free electrons and between the free electrons and the lattice ions.

 
 
 
© Keith Gibbs and John Bourne 2014