How fast does current move in a conductor?

Well very slowly indeed,in fact around 1mm/second give or take.So if this is the case how do we transfer energy/power almost instantly from the generator to the load?
So energy travels as a combination of electric and magnetic(electromagnetic)waves outside of the conductor or wire at very fast speeds.The wire literally just guides the path of the power to its destination from both the positive and negative connections.
I wonder why we weren't taught about this in school?This would have helped explain why Tesla was experimenting with sending power through the air or the way lightning works.
Seems this guy new about it in 1884
https://www.britannica.com/science/Poynting-vector

The individual electron velocity in a metal wire is typically millions of kilometers per hour. In contrast, the drift velocity is typically only a few meters per hour while the signal velocity is a hundred million to a trillion kilometers per hour.

Is this why you are likely to die instantly  of electrical shock if coming into contact with 240 volts ? Is it true it is not the volts that kill you but the amps ?

Grabbing hold of a spark plug lead (voltage) may not kill you, but!!

https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/stem-in-context/do-amps-or-volts-kill-you

I have been shocked in the end of a finger when gapping some points on an old Mazda Capella while the ignition was turned on. Not a good feeling at all.

Yep it's the current that gets you. 3mm will tickle your fancy, Anything over 10ma through your bod/heart has the potential to take you out.
100 ma + is deadly.

As kids , my cousins and i used to poke each other with a cattle prodder and my uncle used to get me to hold the spark plugs when testing the spark in his 2 stroke stationary engines on the farm. I had a shocking childhood.

I would not try that with today's high energy ignition systems. Those suckers can send your heart into a fibrillation attack.

A funny story- Back at tech school in the mid 70's I was doing subjects electrical practice.
A few of us made step up transformers using a 9v battery as the power sauce.
I decided to be naughty and added a few more turns of copper wire plus I added aluminium poles [old tv aerial ] to hang onto for the unsuspecting dumb student
When they hung onto the poles I would flick the switch and it would give out high pitch buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz [flexible oscillating contact ]
I told a young unsuspecting lady music teacher to hold onto the poles and look down the end and that she would see pretty colours.
In the principals office I saw the dull colour of brown leather across my palms


cheers moredeep

adrian ss wrote:I would not try that with today's high energy ignition systems. Those suckers can send your heart into a fibrillation attack.

I don`t think points are even a thing in new cars now ,but if they were ,i definately would not go near them in the same fashion as i used to.

I can't even get to my plugs to change them let alone get a shock from them.
$ 400-$ 500 bucks to get new leads and plugs [ add on] $ that's the shock



cheers    moredeep

Volts pushes Amps. Basics of Ohms law.
Volts creates the force (pressure) that moves electrons, the flow of electrons is amps.

soldier of fortune wrote:

adrian ss wrote:I would not try that with today's high energy ignition systems. Those suckers can send your heart into a fibrillation attack.

I don`t think points are even a thing in new cars now ,but if they were ,I definitely would not go near them in the same fashion as i used to.

Yeah no points these days.
I recall changing my HK ute over to a magnetic impulse high voltage type ignition system back in the early seventies. Worked great. Never had to adjust it again.
   Remember the ole CDI system. It kept yer plugs clean aye  Then there was the multi contact spark plugs....Never really liked those.

Yes built one of those electronic ignition systems for my old Pulsar worked really well,no more changing points.

I put one of those very basic electronic systems on my old falcon with a disc to replace the points and a pulse pickup thingy on it. Never missed a beat. Worked a charm.