Electricity travels in two main ways: as the drift velocity of electrons and as an electromagnetic wave signal.
- The drift velocity of electrons, which is the average speed at which electrons physically move through a conductor, is very slow—about 1 millimeter per second or even slower (a few centimeters per hour depending on current).
- However, the electromagnetic wave or signal, which is the propagation of the electric field or energy through the conductor, travels much faster—typically around 90% of the speed of light, roughly 270,000 kilometers per second (about 670 million miles per hour).
So, the electricity you observe powering devices travels practically at nearly the speed of light due to the electromagnetic wave, but the electrons themselves move comparatively very slowly. This explains why lights turn on instantly even though the electrons' physical movement through the wire is slow.
