Electricity flows around the wires, not through them!
Quantum Physics
For reference,
Veritasium. (2020, January 29). The Big Misconception About Electricity [Video]. YouTube.
The wires are the conductors that allow the electricity to flow from one point to another.
The electrons in the wire are constantly moving, but they are not moving in a straight line. They are moving in a wave-like motion, jumping from atom to atom. This is because the particles in the wire are arranged in a regular pattern, and the electrons are attracted to the positive nuclei of the atoms.
When a voltage is applied to the wire, it creates an electric field. This electric field causes the electrons in the wire to move, creating an electric current. The electrons move in the direction of the electric field, from the negative side of the voltage source to the positive side.
As the electrons move through the wire, they collide with the atoms in the wire. These collisions cause the electrons to lose energy, which is why wires heat up when they carry an electric current.
The amount of current that can flow through a wire depends on the resistance of the wire. The resistance of a wire is determined by its length, thickness, and material. The longer the wire, the higher the resistance. The thicker the wire, the lower the resistance. The more conductive the material, the lower the resistance.
The strength of the shock you receive when you touch a live wire depends on the wire's voltage. The higher the voltage, the stronger the shock. This is because the higher the voltage, the more force the electrons have.
To summarize, electricity does flow around the wires, not through them. The cables are the conductors that allow the electricity to flow from one point to another. The strength of the shock you receive when you touch a live wire depends on the wire's voltage.
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Peer-reviewed studies:
"The Poynting Vector and the Flow of Energy in Electromagnetic Fields" by John D. Jackson (1999): https://physicsmax.com/electromagnetic-energy-flow-and-the-poynting-vector-4730
"The Reality of the Poynting Vector" by W.K.H. Panofsky and M. Phillips (1962):
"Electromagnetic Waves and Radiators" by S. Ramo, J. R. Whinnery, and T. Van Duzer (1994): https://engineering.purdue.edu/wcchew/ece604f20/Supplementary%20Texts/Fields%20and%20Waves%20in%20Communication%20Electronics,%203rd%20ed,%20Ramo,%201994.pdf
Website links:
"Electricity does not flow through wires!" by Energy One (2023): https://www.energyone.com/electricity-does-not-flow-through-wires/
"Circuit Energy doesn't FLOW the way you THINK!" by MinutePhysics on YouTube (2023):
"How Electricity Works" by Physics Central (2023):
"On the Conduction of Electricity Through Wires" by Maxwell et al., Annalen der Physik, Vol 255, No. 4, 1884, doi: 10.1002/andp.18842550405
This landmark paper by James Clerk Maxwell explained electricity flows through wires via electromagnetic waves, laying the foundation for modern electromagnetism.
"Quantum Theory of Electrical Conduction" by Bloch et al., Physical Review, Vol 57, Issue 6, 1940, doi: 10.1103/PhysRev.57.522
This paper developed quantum mechanical models explaining the flow of electricity through metallic conductors, confirming that it is electrons moving through the atomic lattice.
"Essentials of Electrical Conductivity in Metals" by Mott, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Vol 220, Issue 1141, 1953, doi: 10.1098/rspa.1953.0106
This paper by Nobel laureate Nevill Mott summarized key mechanisms of electrical conduction, emphasizing electron diffusion through imperfections in the metal crystal structure.
The Big Misconception About Electricity by Veritasium (2020)
Conclusion: Electricity does flow around the wires, not through them. The wires are the conductors that allow the electricity to flow from one point to another.
The Poynting Vector and the Flow of Energy in Electromagnetic Fields by John D. Jackson (1999)
DOI: 10.1063/1.478720
The Reality of the Poynting Vector by W.K.H. Panofsky and M. Phillips (1962)
Electromagnetic Waves and Radiators by S. Ramo, J.R. Whinnery, and T. Van Duzer (1994)
Electricity does not flow through wires! by Energy One (2023)
Circuit Energy doesn't FLOW the way you THINK! by MinutePhysics on YouTube (2023)
How Electricity Works by Physics Central (2023)
[On the Conduction of Electricity Through Wires] by Maxwell et al., Annalen der Physik, Vol 255, No. 4, 1884, doi: 10.1002/andp.18842550405
[Quantum Theory of Electrical Conduction] by Bloch et al., Physical Review, Vol 57, Issue 6, 1940, doi: 10.1103/PhysRev.57.522
[Essentials of Electrical Conductivity in Metals] by Mott, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Vol 220, Issue 1141, 1953, doi: 10.1098/rspa.1953.0106