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I have watched Vertesiam's video about how the electric current flows through a wire. I couldn't understand how the electric current flow through the wire. How the battery sets up the electric field in the wire and gives acceleration to the electrons? In his video he was saying the energy doesn't flow from the battery to bulb via wire, it flows from the outside of the wire and to the battery. I am really confused as an electrical engineer even I don't know how electric current flows through a wire.

Here is the link "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHIhgxav9LY". Confused about electric current

toolic
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Vivek Nauriyal
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1 Answers1

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The battery sets up an electric field. This causes nearby electrons in the wire to move in such a way that there is a net charge on the surface of the wire. This net charge on the surface of the wire extends the original electric field. It also causes current to flow within the wire. The extended electric field causes electrons move in such a way that there is a net charge on the surface of the wire further down. Once again, this new net charge on the surface of the wire causes a further extension of the electric field, and current to flow inside the wire near this new charge density. This process of extension of the electric field with accompanying charges on the surface of the wire, and current within the wire continues until a circuit is completed.

Math Keeps Me Busy
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