Voltage and conductor contact

Thread Starter

nDever

Joined Jan 13, 2011
153
Hey guys,

I have a question regarding a qualitative property of electricity.

I understand that if a certain conductor, for example a battery cathode, has x voltage with respect to ground, and another conductor, for example a piece of copper wire, is connected to it (soldered, physically connected, etc.), then that wire has the same voltage as the battery cathode.

What is happening at the molecular level? Are the electrons from the cathode and the wire being shared?
 

#12

Joined Nov 30, 2010
18,224
Once the contact is made, electrons can flow to your meter by sneaking in between the atoms. In a DC (battery circuit) they only flow in one direction. Attaching the meter allows some electron movement. The meter is designed to show the voltage by measuring how many electrons flow per second through the internal resistance of the meter.
 
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