[HN Gopher] How do electrons find the "path of least resistance"...
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       How do electrons find the "path of least resistance"? [video]
        
       Author : GavCo
       Score  : 33 points
       Date   : 2023-04-17 13:13 UTC (9 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (www.youtube.com)
 (TXT) w3m dump (www.youtube.com)
        
       | markjspivey wrote:
       | electrons don't, electricity does .
        
         | jonny_eh wrote:
         | This same youtuber made a video about that:
         | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vrhk5OjBP8
        
       | jagrsw wrote:
       | The video is interesting, but I suspect, that the author is
       | making some subtle errors at places. Tho I'm not 100% sure, last
       | time I analyzed those subject was at BsC/MsC courses at my uni.
       | 
       | E.g. he says something to the tune of                  electrons
       | take a few ns. running around, and then settle down in the maze.
       | 
       | IIRC electron flow in a medium is relatively slow, something on
       | the order of centimeters per second. So it's not electrons which
       | settle some potentials by moving quickly, but the electric
       | potential finds its equilibrium. And it finds its equlibrium by
       | electrons exchanging virtual photons (carries of electromagnetic
       | force)?
        
         | bertil wrote:
         | The author has a fascinating video (part of a wider effort of
         | many science YouTubers) that tries to clarify all that.
         | 
         | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vrhk5OjBP8
         | 
         | I'm actually not sure if that makes his explanation more
         | accurate because it's informed by that, or more regrettably
         | forced metaphor. But the whole series of videos from different
         | creators is worth watching if you want to understand the whole
         | "electrons are moving" thing.
        
       | Animats wrote:
       | Summary: "It's like a whole bunch of stagnant lakes connected to
       | the same river".
        
       | imtringued wrote:
       | They take all paths weighted by resistance.
        
         | KRAKRISMOTT wrote:
         | With the path integral being an analogue computer.
        
         | xracy wrote:
         | I feel like you just saved me 22m
        
           | version_five wrote:
           | It's funny how we used to say "a picture is worth a thousand
           | words", and now a YouTube video is worth about five words.
        
             | GaggiX wrote:
             | To be honest the video OP linked is really good at teaching
             | about electricity if you don't know much about it (and
             | create a useful mental model).
        
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       (page generated 2023-04-17 23:00 UTC)